Runaway Witness
by moonjat54
Summary: A young girl who witnessed a murder that is tied to a case 5-0 is investigating goes on the run with Nahele rather than help 5-0. Steve pursues the teens unaware that the killers are also following the kids and are all too happy to eliminate McGarrett as well. I am sure that some whump will be part of the story.
1. Chapter 1

**Runaway Witness**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Nope, I looked and they haven't granted me ownership so I guess I am still just playing with it.**

 **Hello, long time no see. I hope you remember me. My muse went into hibernation before the holidays and refused to talk to me for a long time. I guess she got bored though and now that she is back we will see where this one takes us. I hope you come along for the ride.**

Chapter 1

Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett strode into 5-0 headquarters with a serious look on his handsome face. His team hurried out of their offices to join him at the computer table which was where he was headed. They knew he had been called to the Governor's office two hours ago and the summons had sounded serious. The look on McGarrett's face confirmed that this had not been a routine request.

"Let me guess…..Denning wasn't checking on how many tickets we would be needing for the Sustainable Coastline ball," Danny stated dryly as he stopped beside his partner as Steve was inserting a flash drive into the table.

Steve favored him with a flat stare for a moment before addressing the rest of the team and as he activated the table.

"Over the last week and a half, HPD has responded to a series of robberies that seemed to be unrelated at the time they occurred. When looking at the reports, the Governor's Chief of State Security saw some red flags and had Denning call me. The Governor wants us to make this a priority and find out if they really are linked," he informed them as he displayed the robbery reports.

"Two hardware stores, an electronics store and three gun shops," Lou read aloud. "Well I can see the gun stores setting off red flags."

"Look what went missing from the hardware stores," Chin pointed out. "Pipes, cases of nails, wire…..all the fixings for….."

"Pipe bombs," Kono finished for him gravely. "And timers and other things from the electronics store. Also several disposable cell phones. Add in the weapons and it looks like someone is planning to do a lot of damage," she added.

"Which is exactly why Denning wants us on this case," Steve pointed out.

"Does he have any thoughts on who or what the target is?" Danny asked. "It would help if we had a time frame to work with."

"That is our job to figure out. There are several high profile events in the up-coming weeks. There is the surfing competition on the North Shore in two weeks, a fashion show highlighting Hawaiian designers that will bring in many mainland designers as well the week after and then the Dole Pineapple Festival that takes place the same week as the fashion week," Steve said naming off a couple of events.

"Blowing up pineapples works for me," Danny said under his breath, making all the others chuckle but Steve. McGarrett continued as if he hadn't heard Williams.

"And then there are all the general tourist attractions that draw a lot of human targets and would cause a panic," he stated.

"Any of those events would strike at the heart of Hawaiian tourism and hurt Denning's standing in the polls. There is an election coming up this fall and he's not running unopposed," Chin said seriously.

"A bombing event certainly would not help Carson Makenna's campaign," Kono observed. "His main platform is the need to provide safety by following the law completely by the book. He doesn't approve of 5-0 and our means and immunity but he would not approve of killing innocent people just to make us look bad, would he?"

"No, not him but if we can't stop this from happening it will definitely give his platform a boost," Lou said sourly. "And we will all be out of a job if Makenna gets into office."

"Until he finds out how necessary 5-0 is," Danny pointed out.

"We can't worry about politics right now. Our job is to find these would be bombers and stop innocent lives from being lost," Steve said in an attempt to bring the focus back to the job. "No matter the reason that these bombs are going to be set off, we have to prevent it from happening."

"Do we have the security footage from any of the robberies? The gun shops for sure must have had some," Kono questioned.

"We do indeed have security footage," McGarrett nodded, happy to be back on task. Denning had been very concerned about what this could do to his re-election but his main emphasis had been to make sure no innocent lives were lost. "We do have video but our thieves were very smart, they are all wearing masks so we can't run any facial recognition. They worked in teams of four and from further study of the body shapes it appears that the same team pulled all the jobs." With a few finger strokes he brought up the videos and sent them to the overhead screens.

"It's pretty damn obvious that they cased these places before hitting them," Lou said as they watched the quartet go about their business. "They know exactly where the items they're stealing are located, there is no wasted time in any place. Did HPD check all the employee's backgrounds?"

"They did as soon as they saw the videos. Not all the checks are completed yet at the large hardware places but the gun shops and electronics checks have come back clean," McGarrett answered.

"So we have all the makings for major mayhem and no clue what the target is. I see many late hours in our future," Danny said in frustration. "So who do we talk to first, the gun shop owners or the hardware stores?" he added looking at Steve.

"Let's you and I check out the hardware and electronic stores. Chin, you and Lou go to the gun shops and get a detailed list of what was taken. Get a feel if anyone had suspicious people in there asking questions but not buying. Kono, look over these reports, make sure HPD didn't miss anything. They didn't know that the thefts might be related when they first investigated. Look for any connection between these robberies and create a timeline for us. Also, could you ask Jerry if he's heard any rumors flying around among his conspiracy theory friends? Maybe there is talk of some group with a grievance," Steve suggested.

"Sure thing Boss," Kono agreed.

"Okay, let's roll, the clock is ticking," McGarrett responded and headed for the door. Chin, Lou and Danny followed.

*H 5-0*

It was late afternoon when the men returned to compare notes. Kono looked up from the table with a tired smile.

"Please tell me my eyes are not crossed, I've been studying these reports so long I'm not sure if I'm seeing straight," she sighed. "So far all the background checks on employees have produced nothing. I have requested videos from the week before to see if any of the body shapes match our four thieves or if anyone was acting suspicious. Now I'm going through the list of employees who just retired or were recently fired, checking their backgrounds."

"Good thinking," Steve approved. "HPD was thorough so we didn't learn anything new." He looked at Chin and Grover. "How about you two?"

"They knew what they wanted, that is for sure," Chin replied. "They took semi-automatic rifles that can be converted to automatic, several AK-47s and TEC-9s. They also made off with plenty of ammunition for all the stolen weapons."

"All in all they made off with fifteen rifles and ten handguns and any conversion kits they could find," Lou added. "I'm thinking the bombs are their main plan but they're going to be heavily armed when they plant those babies. The ability to fire off as much ammo as possible seems to be their strategy since they left all the shotguns and hunting rifles untouched."

"So their goal was to take the weapons that could provide maximum damage in a short amount of time," Danny said sourly.

"This has the chance to become ugly real fast," Lou said shaking his head. "Unless we get some names to with those bodies on the videos, we have no clue how to proceed with this investigation."

"They have to have left a trail somewhere," Steve insisted. "An operation this big has to have left a footprint behind. No one is that careful."

"Then we keep digging," Kono said determinedly. "I haven't heard back from Jerry yet. Maybe he will have heard something."

"Why don't I talk to Kamekona, he may have some contacts left who may have heard a rumor. He really isn't part of this scene anymore but it can't hurt to ask," Chin said.

"Leave no stone unturned," Steve nodded. "Okay, let's have dinner delivered and we can go over the information one more time and see if anything jumps out."

*H 5-0*

In an empty storefront in a small strip mall near Waikiki, four men met on the main floor as the dusk began to fade into night. One man with dark hair and worried eyes stood facing the other three who formed a semi-circle before him. The mild looking man held up both hands in front of him as he focused his attention on the man in the middle of the group. The bulky, tall man glowered at the individual before them.

"Conrad, be reasonable. I am not about to go to the authorities and talk about your plans. I support your reasons but I just can't participate anymore," the nervous man pleaded. "I can't be involved, my conscience won't let me but I promise I won't rat you out." He was sweating profusely as he kept shifting backward a few feet. He let his gaze move to the other two men, hoping they would speak up for him. Their faces were stern in the dim light that came through small grimy windows.

"And why should we believe you Bruce?" the man named Conrad growled. His close cropped hair was salt and peppered but he had the build of a man who was strong and physically fit. "You knew our purpose from the start. You also knew from the beginning there was no walking away. Come on Bruce, you took an oath to see this through."

"I never knew that people might end up dead when you talked about bombs. It was never said that innocent people would die. I thought it would be after hours, when the places were empty. Keawe, you don't want to hurt innocents, do you?" Bruce begged.

"It's collateral damage Bruce. People don't care when a few buildings get destroyed. That doesn't rile the folks up to demand change. We have to make them care, we have to show that Denning and his 5-0 team are incompetent. This state needs proper law enforcement, not a crew of loose cannons who stomp on the rules to get quick arrests. We need cops who can make those arrests stick," Keawe said harshly, his handsome face looking fierce.

"But they do get results, even though their methods are pretty out there. I don't like how they operate but killing people isn't right," Bruce replied. "I know Makenna is running against Denning and he is the better man but this is taking things to the extreme. He wouldn't want the win this way."

"How many people get hurt when 5-0 plays fast and loose with the laws?" Conrad sneered. "Carson Makenna will restore proper law enforcement and Steve McGarrett is going to learn that he is not some national hero that can do as he pleases. He needs to go back to the Navy where they sanction his breaking the rules. We discredit 5-0 and Denning's popularity will slide and Carson will walk into the Governor's mansion."

"But at what price Conrad? If we kill innocents, we are as bad as 5-0. I can't do that. I'll keep my mouth shut but I will not stay involved in this." He turned to head for the back door.

"You can't be trusted to keep your mouth shut," Conrad announced coldly as he drew a gun from a holster under his light-weight jacket. Bruce looked back at him in shock.

"But we're friends Conrad….." he protested as Conrad fired twice, catching him square in the chest. Bruce collapsed without a sound.

In the aftermath of the shots, a thump and a muffled scream could be heard from the floor above. All three men looked up.

"Nelson, check that out. No witnesses," Conrad ordered his son who bolted for the stairway off to the left. After several long minutes of silence, there were three shots from above and then Nelson clattered down, looking frightened.

"There was a girl up there. We gotta go, I heard music coming from the back of the place next door. It shut off right after I shot the girl, the person may be calling the cops," the young man panted.

"Damn, no one is normally around after hours," Conrad said angrily. "Okay….don't panic. Wipe down the doorknobs and let's get out of here. Hurry. Do not call attention to yourself driving home, don't get stopped. Make sure your alibi is solid," he instructed Keawe.

"What about Bruce's car?" the Hawaiian native asked.

"Leave it," Conrad answered. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple packets of white powder. Throwing it towards the body he looked at the two others. "He got caught in a bad drug deal, that ought to cover it." Without a second look at his former friend's body, he walked to the rear entrance.

End chapter.

 **So there you have it. This is going to build a bit slower than some of my other stories. I promise that there will be whump later, the muse always insists but there is a stage to set and that takes a bit more time. Just look at it as more story to read. Thanks for reading, I love feedback.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Runaway Witness II**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I do like borrowing them to entertain myself and I hope you like it too.**

 **Well I am going to try to post once a week. Thank you for reading.**

Chapter 2

The team was wrapping things up at the office when Steve's phone rang.

"Yea Duke, what have you got?" he asked, motioning for the others to come into his office. "Okay, we'll be there shortly," he added after Duke finished speaking and clicked off the phone. He looked around at the concerned faces. "Duke has just responded to a report of shots fired in a strip mall near Waikiki. There's a body in an empty store, it was called in by an employee in the store next door. Several vehicles pulled out in a hurry and Duke says he'd like us to take a look."

Without protesting the hour, the team hurried out to report to the scene. Duke was not one to ask for help with easy cases so they were always willing to lend him a hand. The sergeant was waiting for them at the front door of the store that was tucked between a hair salon and a shoe repair place. Lights shone out of the small, dirt covered windows that were on either side of the door. A faded sign still hung above the door stating, "Cash to Go".

"The vic's wallet says he's Bruce Martin, cause of death is two gunshot wounds to the chest from fairly close up. The confusing part is that the person who called it in insists that five shots were fired," Duke said quickly covering the high points. "We also found a few bags of heroin lying near the body. Max arrived just a moment ago, he is examining the body."

"Thanks Duke," Steve said and led the way inside. HPD had set up portable lights to help examine the crime scene and Max was kneeling next to the body. He looked up as 5-0 gathered around him.

"Ah…..good to see you Commander. COD is indeed two gunshots to the chest as Sgt. Lukela told you. There are no other wounds on the body and that includes no track marks to indicate heroin use," Max stated as he got to his feet.

"There is no sign of any bullets in the walls. When we arrived we could see that there were multiple footprints in the dust on the floor indicating that there were more people here than just the shooter and the victim. The back door's lock is broken and has been for some time. It appears that it has been used frequently to enter and leave the building. I have an officer taking a statement from the young lady at the salon, she is pretty shaken up and very frightened," Duke filled them in.

"I'll join them and see if she will feel better with me there," Kono volunteered and left the store.

"Have you searched the whole building yet?" Steve asked as Lou and Chin went to check the CSU unit working at the back door.

"Just the main floor so far. You arrived pretty fast, that was our next step," Duke replied.

"Danny and I will take the upstairs," Steve said and accepted a high powered flashlight that Duke held out to him. Danny took one offered by another officer and followed Steve to the staircase that ran up the left wall of the room.

"Why do you suppose they would be shooting on two different levels?" Danny asked as they approached the top of the stairs. "Do we have a second victim who ran?"

"It's possible," Steve answered as he swept the beam of his flashlight around the dark space.

"What's that?" Danny enquired as the light revealed a crumpled figure near the back wall. "Or should I say who's that?"

Steve hurried over to the figure curled up beneath a boarded up back window. Long dark hair was spread out over the slender body of a woman and as he knelt next to her and touched her shoulder a moan escaped her. Turning her over as gently as possible, frightened dark eyes met his as Danny's flashlight glowed over them. Steve saw their victim was a teenager who tried to pull away from him in terror.

"Don't hurt me…please. No more," she whimpered.

"Easy…..don't worry, we're cops. You are safe now, we won't hurt you," Steve soothed as he looked her over to see how she was injured. Moving the beam of his light over the girl, Danny stopped when he saw her left side of her T-shirt that was turning red with blood.

"Danny, get Max up here and send for an ambulance," Steve ordered quickly.

"Sure thing," Danny acknowledged and hurried for the stairs.

Steve picked up his flashlight and took a closer look at the girl.

"I'm going to look closer at where you were shot. This might hurt a bit but hang on, okay?" he told the girl who nodded quickly. Lifting the hem of the yellow shirt he discovered the bullet had entered her just above the waist of her yoga pants. Wadding up the long end of the shirt, Steve pressed it against the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Sorry," he said as she winced in pain. "We have a doctor downstairs and he can help you. What's your name?"

The girl pressed her lips together and shook her head, refusing to answer.

"I understand you have a live patient Commander," Max said as he and Danny joined them. With both men holding up their lights to give Max a good view, the medical examiner went to work on a breathing body for the first time in a long time.

"It appears to be only the one bullet wound, so the other shots the witness heard must have missed," Steve said to Danny as Max bent over the girl.

"Then we have to check around up here. Maybe the slugs will give us more of the story," Danny answered. "CSU will have to go over this level with a fine tooth comb."

Sirens could be heard pulling up outside and the flashing lights could be seen through the small front windows on this level. In the red glow, Steve noticed there was a sleeping bag and some other items under those windows.

"Looks like she has been camping out here. Max, how is she?"

"The bullet is still inside her and will have to be removed at the hospital. I have bandaged it and that should halt the blood lose for now," Max responded. "She has fainted and will not be able to answer any questions for a while."

"Thanks Max," Steve said and moved over to the front where the girl's possessions were spread out under one window. Next to the bedroll was an electric lantern that was turned off. Pulling on gloves, he switched on the lantern and inspected the other items nearby. There was a backpack that contained clothing, a coin purse with no ID in it only folded bills. A large tote bag sat next to it and some discarded food bags were against the wall.

"Damn it Steve, she really doesn't look much older than Grace," Danny sighed as he joined him. "She must be a runaway. Anything in there to identify her?"

"No," Steve said shaking his head. He pulled out a bag of beads from the tote and held it up. "It looks like she was supporting herself by selling these." He brought out a second bag that had completed bracelets in it. The bright colors caught the light of the flashlight and sparkled through the plastic.

"Pretty. I'm sure the tourists love them," Danny replied as he leaned in closer. "Our shooters must have heard her up here and came up to silence her. Fortunately it must have been dark enough to throw his aim off or she'd be dead."

"Yea, the dim light must have saved her life. It looks like she was trying to pull the boards free of that back window to get out," Steve said nodding toward the back wall where the girl had fallen.

"Then let's be grateful for small favors," Danny muttered. "The darkness messed up the shooter and if she had gone out that window she could have hurt herself in a fall and not been able to run from them. He watched as Max and the EMTs were securing the girl to a gurney and taking her to the stairs.

"Let's hope she can tell us who these people were and maybe has some names. It looks like she may have witness more than just a murder," Steve commented and held up a notebook he had found in the tote. In the beam of the flashlight Danny could read some scribbled words…bombs….nails…..lots of guns. "I think this case and the Governor's are now one and the same."

Danny squinted to read the small handwriting.

"I can't make out half of what is written here," he said in frustration. "Where is this girl's family? Why is she living in an empty building all alone?" He ran his flashlight around the space and noticed the food bags that were near the tote. The top one had the very familiar face of their favorite shrimp king. "Well we know she's been able to eat," he said pointing out the bag.

Steve looked at the bag, his jaw clenching as his mind leapt ahead to possible reasons that the bag could be at the crime scene. Danny knew exactly where his partner's train of thought was headed.

"Hey, the bag being here does not mean that Nahele delivered it. She likely stopped by the truck and brought it back here herself," Danny scolded.

"I'm going to have to talk to him," Steve decided. "He may know her, he was on the street for a while too. Those kids sometimes get to know each other."

"And that would be a good thing," Danny said with a nod. "If he can tell us who she is that will help us because this case has gone from a drug deal gone bad to something much larger."

"Right," Steve agreed getting to his feet. "We need CSU to go over every inch of this room and the rest of the building. Our perps may have left some trace behind, there are a lot of surfaces and I doubt they had gloves on all the time." He headed downstairs with Danny right behind.

Kono was coming in the door as they reached the main level.

"Hey Boss, I talked to the assistant manager of Waves and Curls, the hair salon next door. She's all of twenty-three and pretty rattled about what happened. She heard the shots and called it in and then hid in a storage closet until she heard the police arrive. Said she didn't want to let them know she was in the building in case they came after her," Kono reported.

"Why was she here so late?" Danny asked.

"She was doing inventory in the back. She had the radio on and suddenly she heard two loud cracks, then a gap before she heard three more that sounded like they came from above. After hearing that there were car engines starting from the rear of the shops but she didn't come out of the closet to check."

"She did the right thing," Steve nodded. "She protected herself. We have a second victim who overheard the shooting and thankfully she is still alive."

"Can she fill in the blanks?"

"Right now she was unwilling to even give us her name. We believe she's a runaway who was living on the second floor," Steve said wearily. "We don't know if she'll cooperate."

"I can try talking to her," Kono offered. "Maybe she will talk to a woman."

"You are my ace in the hole," Steve smiled. "We'll see how she is tomorrow morning. They are not likely to allow us to question her tonight."

"No problem Boss," Kono grinned broadly.

"Thanks Kono," Steve answered as Danny went to instruct CSU as to what they wanted done upstairs. He also told HPD to make sure the girl's belongings were brought to 5-0 headquarters.

Letting out a deep sigh as he looked around the crime scene, then back at his team who had gathered round.

"Okay, go home, get some sleep and we'll tackle this first thing in the morning. The girl's notebook indicates that she overheard something about bombs and guns. I'm putting a guard on her hospital room in case our perps learn she is still alive. Danny and I will stop by the hospital before going home to see how she is doing," Steve announced.

With the team agreeing, they went their separate ways, leaving the scene in the capable hands of CSU and HPD. As they rode to the hospital, Danny snuck a few glances at his pensive partner.

"I'm sure the girl will be able to help us nail these guys. We are further ahead on this than we were earlier in the day," he said quietly.

"I hope so. She was in pain and frightened so that may be why she wouldn't give us her name, but I can't shake the feeling that there is more to it. We need to make her help us," Steve replied tersely.

"We are fairly sure she's been camped out there for some time. CSU thought that broken back door had been that way for some time so many people could have been in and out. I'm willing to bet that the prints they find will be too smudged to get anything useful. The damned place was Grand Central Station," Danny grumbled.

"I think she heard more than she realizes. We just need to get her to trust us," McGarrett asserted.

"That may be a tall order partner. She ran away for a reason and she may not open up so easily, even if we ask nicely," Danny reminded him. "Teenagers are not simple."

"You would know that," Steve chuckled and then sobered. "Until we get through to her, she will be kept in protective custody and we'll try to keep her presence a secret. As long as she is alive, she is in danger from the shooters. We need to wrap it up quickly," Steve said grimly.

"We'll take care of her Steven," Danny said confidently. "We have the break in the case that we have been looking for. Either this girl or Bruce Martin's background will give us what we need."

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. I'll keep the muse working so this moves along.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Runaway Witness III**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. As long as no one protests I will continue to let my imagination run wild and create these stories.**

 **Thanks for reading, I hope you will enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter3

At the hospital the pair was informed that the girl was still being treated but it looked like she had a very good chance of recovery. Steve briefed the officer who would be guarding the girl's room and then he and Danny sat down to wait for the doctor to come and talk to them. A half hour later their patience was rewarded as a tired looking man came out to see them.

"Commander McGarrett, Detective Williams, I'm Dr. Carver. I understand you have an interest in my patient, Jane Doe?"

"We are Doctor. We believe that she witnessed a murder and may also have information on an upcoming event that could put many people in danger. We need to speak to her and I've ordered security to guard her room," Steve informed the doctor gravely.

"I have no objection to a guard on her door but as for speaking to her tonight, that is out of the question. I may be new to Oahu but I've heard about you and 5-0 and I know you do good work but you will not bother my patient tonight. The girl's prognosis is good but for now she needs to sleep, not be interrogated. Come back tomorrow morning, I am sure she will be able to answer your questions then," Carver said firmly.

"We understand that Dr. Carver, I'm the father of a daughter myself and we do not wish to cause the girl further harm. We would also like to find her family so they know where she is since we think she is a runaway. She is a key witness in a murder and can be a great help preventing a bigger crime," Danny spoke up. "We do not wish to add to her trauma."

"I appreciate that Detective. Her health is my first priority and there is no chance you can speak to her tonight. Please come back in the morning," Dr. Carver stated. "Now if you will excuse me, I have other patients to see to."

"Thank you Doctor," Steve said as the man turned and headed back into the ER. Frustration was written all over McGarrett's face as he watched the man go. He understood the need to let the girl rest but he felt the pressure of the ticking clock and the delay wasn't helping.

"You heard him Rambo, let's go home. There is nothing else we can do tonight," Danny said from beside him. "We'll attack this with fresh eyes in the morning."

Steve nodded, knowing that Danny was right. The clock may be ticking but if they wore themselves down they might miss an obvious lead. They would have to wait until morning.

"Okay, we tackle this early tomorrow. Our Jane Doe may not want to talk but somewhere in her stuff must be a clue to her identity. We will comb through it tomorrow," he said heading for the door.

*H 5-0*

True to his words, Steve arrived at headquarters at six the next morning before any of the others. He had already called the hospital and learned that Jane Doe had had a peaceful night but wasn't awake. CSU had a team that worked during the night and he had a preliminary report on the computer table.

As he scanned the fingerprint reports, his eyes narrowed and his stomach did a slow roll over. Nahele's prints were found on the receipt inside the Kamekona food bag which wasn't a big surprise but they had also been found on the window sill of one of the front upstairs windows. There was no way to know exactly when they had been left but it was evidence that he had been in that room. Prints from the girl's belongings were not in the system so her identity remained a mystery.

Footsteps made him look up and he saw Danny entering with two Styrofoam cups of coffee.

"I knew you'd be here at the crack of dawn. I figured you would need something to kick start your day. You're looking grim, what did you learn?" Williams asked handing him a cup.

"Thanks Danny," Steve replied as he accepted the cup and motioned to the information on the table. Danny quickly saw the report that had Steve concerned.

"So Nahele has been there, that's good because it means he knows this girl. He should be able to give us her name," Danny commented. "Look, the time stamp on the receipt was from the day before…..he probably wasn't there last night. Are you going to call him to come down here or confront him at the shrimp truck?"

Steve glanced at his watch and frowned.

"It's too early for him to be at work. I hate to order him to report here and scare him."

"Then try suggesting to him that you could use some help rather than ordering him to report in," Danny said rolling his eyes.

"Yea, you could be right about that," Steve admitted with a weak smile. Danny blinked up at him in surprise.

"Do my ears deceive me? Did McGarrett just admit that Danny is right about something?" Lou's voice rang out before Danny could respond. He, Chin and Kono came in and headed for the table. They all knew that McGarrett would be there early and did not wait for the usual start of the day. "Quick…..someone check to see if McGarrett is running a fever."

"What is he right about Boss?" Kono asked.

"Nahele's prints were found in the upstairs room of our crime scene. He may know who the girl is," Steve answered.

"And I just suggested that Steven could just invite the boy down to talk rather than ordering him in like a suspect," Danny filled them in.

"Of course he's not a suspect," Kono said quickly. "He's not….is he?" she asked looking at Steve.

"No, his prints are on the sales receipt dated the day before. I just wonder how deep he's involved with our reluctant witness," Steve replied. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You have a right to worry. This doesn't make sense," Chin spoke up. He had gone to work pulling up more information on the shooting victim. "As we learned last night, our vic is Bruce Martin, a tax accountant with a spotless criminal record. The man has never even had a parking ticket. He's been divorced for ten years, the ex-wife is living in Oakland California, no children. There is nothing in his past to indicate any illegal dealings that would get him killed, nothing to link him to illegal drug use."

"Maybe he fudged someone's taxes and was shaking them down for more money," Lou suggested.

"But why would that take more than one person to confront him? And since we found the girl's notebook had the words, bombs, nails and guns, we think this has a connection to our robberies," Danny added. "We need to check this man's client list."

"If he was part of that group then he rubbed someone the wrong way," Lou observed. "We need to check into his group of friends. Maybe his body type will match one of those on the security footage."

"Kono, find Jane Doe's notebook. See if you can decipher anything from her scribblings," Steve instructed, nodding to the boxes sitting in a corner. With a nod, Kono hurried over to the pile and searched for the notebook.

Finding it, she opened it and found the page that Steve and Danny had seen the night before. Placing it on the table as everyone crowded around to look at it, she squinted at the small writing. The majority of the writing was cramped and small, not even staying on the lines as if written in a hurry and in poor light. The words that could easily be made out were; bombs, guns, nails….along with a mention of robberies. She had recorded the words maximum damage a few times and had written "what to do" in the margin.

"Someone has to go over this closely, a handwriting expert if possible. We really need to talk to this girl," Steve said in frustration. They had a lead but it was going to be a challenge to get her to open up.

"Nahele may be a big help there Steve," Chin said. "She may talk to him. I hate to say it but the media has already latched onto the shooting story, I heard a report on the radio as I drove in. They announced that the girl is alive."

"We have a guard on her door, we need to clamp down on any more news leaks so they don't catch wind that this may be connected to a bomb threat. We do not want to start a public panic," Lou stated.

"Denning would go ballistic," Danny said dryly.

"Okay….Kono, I'm playing my ace card," Steve decided. "You and Danny go to the hospital, see if you can get our Jane Doe to open up. Chin, Lou….dig into Bruce Martin's life. Check out his friends, associates, clients…anyone who he might be working with."

"And you will be doing what?" Danny enquired with a slight smirk.

"I….will be requesting that Nahele come in and assist us in identifying our witness."

"A wise decision my friend," Danny grinned as McGarrett just huffed and headed to his office.

*H 5-0*

A half hour later, Steve looked up from his computer when Nahele knocked on his door. Waving the boy in, he shut his laptop and smiled at him.

"You wanted me to stop by?" Nahele asked hesitantly.

"Yes I did," Steve replied. "I need your help." He motioned for him to sit down. As Nahele settled into one of the chairs, Steve came around to lean on the front edge of the desk and quickly scrolled through his phone for a photo. Holding it out for the boy to see, he asked, "Do you know this girl?"

Nahele took a look, blinked, swallowed quickly and then looked away.

"I…..uh…..I'm not sure," he mumbled.

"I need you to be honest with me Nahele," Steve said gently but firmly. The teen forced his eyes back to the photo, a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Is she dead? I mean….her eyes are closed and given your job. Is she?" he stammered.

"No, she's not dead. She is in the hospital. Someone shot her last night in a small mall near Waikiki. We couldn't get a name from her and we are trying to identify her. Can you help us?" Steve asked.

"Why would you ask me?" the boy demanded quickly. He looked ready to bolt out of the chair. "Do you think I had something to do with her being shot?"

"No…..no Nahele," Steve said quickly, putting his phone down and placing both hands on the boy's shoulders. "I know you wouldn't do anything like that. But this girl…..she is a witness to a shooting and possibly to a plan to set off pipe bombs in the city. It is vital that she talk to us. We need to know what she knows. It's important."

"I don't know if I can help you…..Mahina is very private and she is terrified of cops," Nahele said quickly and the stopped, eyes wide when he realized he had spoken her name.

"So her name is Mahina, what's her last name?" Steve asked. "Where does her family live?"

"I don't know. She doesn't talk about herself much. I don't think her folks are alive. I do know that she ran away from an abusive foster home and has sworn not to go back. We met when I was on the street, she is nice," he confessed.

"How long has she been living in that building?"

"I'm not sure. She said she found a broken lock and the place was quiet. She supports herself with the bracelets she makes…..she is very talented," Nahele said proudly. "I bought her lunch the other day because I was afraid she wasn't eating enough. I wanted to help her."

"You are a good kid Nahele," Steve smiled. "Right now she is our only lead to our shooters and possible bomb makers. I don't want to frighten her but we do need her help. Do you think you could talk to Mahina and help us?"

"I don't know if she will talk to the cops. Honest Commander, she is terrified of the police, I know that much about her. She doesn't want to go back into foster care," he cautioned. "She may not trust me if I bring the cops."

"I promise I will look into her foster care situation. I can't make promises but I will do the best I can to see what we can do for her. The media has already announced that she has survived the shooting so the people who hurt her may know she is alive and may identify them. I have a guard on her room at the hospital but we don't know how fast they are going to move," Steve said urgently. "You may be our only hope of getting through to her. Please, can you give it a try?"

Nahele nodded, feeling he was in way over his head. Sitting in the chair reminded of him of when he was brought into McGarrett's office after stealing his car. The man had been nothing but fair to him and he owed him the help.

End chapter.

 **The muse really likes Nahele and wanted to include him in this story. Thank you for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Runaway Witness IV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. That is not likely to change so this is just for fun.**

 **Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to comment, it does keep the muse inspired.**

Chapter 4

Nahele shifted uncomfortably under Steve's intense gaze. It wasn't like he didn't want to help, he did and he believed McGarrett when he said there was a big threat out there that needed to be stopped. But he also knew how independent Mahina was since he had once offered to speak to the Commander about her difficulties with the foster system. Mahina had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want that help and then had disappeared for weeks. It was only recently they had reconnected and he had not brought up McGarrett again.

"I'll try my best but I can't promise how she'll react," Nahele finally said. "I offered once to talk to you about her situation and she freaked out. I can't be sure she would talk to me if she knows you are involved."

"Then I will stay out of the room. Kono and Danny are over at the hospital now. If she rejects them, she may figure that is the effort the cops made and will be happy to see you. Give it a try, see how she reacts. It is all we can do right now," Steve suggested.

"Okay, I will talk to her. I do warn you that she is stubborn," Nahele cautioned. "This could blow up in our faces and then she might never speak to me again."

"It is possible that after being shot she will be more willing to help the police. We have something more serious than the threat of returning to a lousy foster home. Lots of people could die if she does not help us find these people who shot her. I understand that she may be frightened and I will try to help her living situation but these bombers are our first priority," Steve stressed.

"Okay, I'll do my best," Nahele told him. "I really don't want to see Mahina hurt, she is nice."

Steve tried to suppress a grin.

"Okay…I get it….you like the girl."

"Really Commander? She's just a friend," Nahele said quickly, a faint blush creeping up his neck.

"Sure thing," Steve chuckled and the two of them headed out of the office after Steve told Chin and Lou where they were headed.

*H 5-0*

At the hospital, Danny and Kono had run into several roadblocks on their way to interview the girl. First Dr. Carver had been reluctant to let them see her and only allowed them in after they'd promised to leave the room if Jane Doe became agitated. With a warning about not bullying the girl, Carver let them see her.

Once in the room they encountered their second roadblock. Jane Doe was awake and sitting up when they entered the room and a scowl settled over her pretty features when she saw their badges.

"Hi, you might not remember me from last night but my partner and I were the ones that found you. I'm Detective Danny Williams and this is Officer Kono Kalakaua. We are hoping that we can talk to you about what you remember from last night," Danny said gently, smiling at the girl.

"How are you feeling today?" Kono asked sympathetically.

"I'm going to be okay. I can't help you with anything. I didn't see the guy," the girl mumbled sullenly.

"Can you tell us your name? It is awkward to keep calling you Jane, unless that is your name. Is there a family member we can call?" Danny inquired.

"No! No one," the teen responded sharply, shaking her head. She pulled her covers up to her chin, sinking lower in the bed. "Go away. I can't help you."

"Hey…..easy. It's okay, names aren't important right now," Kono soothed, moving closer to the bed. She smiled reassuringly at the girl. "We are just here to help you. We think that the person who shot you and the others he was working with are planning to hurt other people. You may have information that can help us."

"I said I don't know who they are. I didn't see the face of the man who shot me. I only heard voices and then a couple loud sounds," the girl protested. She turned her head away, a small sob escaping her.

"Oh ku'uipo, we know you're frightened. You might remember more than you think. Please help us help you," Kono urged gently, placing one hand on the teen's shoulder. "There is a guard outside your door, no one can hurt you here."

The girl looked back at her in alarm.

"Am I a prisoner in here?" she demanded. "I don't remember what happened last night. Please go away," she insisted.

"I have a daughter a little younger than you and I can tell you I would be frantic if she was missing," Danny tried, hoping to make her see that they had her best interests at heart. "I am sure whatever made you end up living in that building can be worked out with your folks. Don't you want them to be here with you?"

"No," she growled back at him with eyes flashing. "I take care of myself. I don't need anyone." She moved away from Kono's touch, wincing in pain as the stitches pulled in her side. "Get out."

Kono and Danny exchanged helpless looks. There seemed to be no way to reach through the girl's barriers. She was resisting every effort that they made to get her to cooperate with them.

"All right, we'll go. But please reconsider helping us. There are men who are planning to make bombs and set them off somewhere in the city. You could be the only one who can point them out to us and save a lot of people's lives," Danny said softly before they both left her alone. In the hall they paused and Danny ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"That is one scared little girl and it isn't the bombers that have her frightened," he sighed.

"Yea, I get the feeling she ran away from her home for a good reason. Suggesting she give us her name shut her down immediately," Kono said sadly. "I think she is afraid that someone will put her back in a situation that she hated. I hope that Nahele does know her, he may be our only hope."

"Amen to that," Danny agreed as they headed to the elevator.

When they reached the ground floor and were almost to the front entrance, they ran into Steve and Nahele near the information desk. Steve stopped and looked at them expectantly taking note of their glum expressions.

"She wouldn't talk to you," he said not making it a question.

"Nope. That is one very closed down teenager," Danny replied. "I assume that since you and Nahele are here that he does indeed know the girl?"

"She is just frightened of the police," Nahele said. "She doesn't want to be forced back into the horrible foster home she was in."

"So you do know her. What's her name?" Kono asked.

"He only knows that her first name is Mahina," Steve replied. "She is a friend of Nahele's so we hope she will talk to him."

"Excellent," Danny said happily. "She is definitely more afraid of us than her shooter. Now that we have her first name I am sure we can learn her last name and where she was living."

"You do that and she won't talk to anyone," Nahele said defensively. "She will never trust you if you do that. She is a good person and she will do the right thing if you give her time."

"We can hold off on finding that foster home," Steve interjected. "You just need to talk to her honestly and assure her that we have her best interests at heart. We need her help on this. Danny, we don't need to trace her last name at this time."

"As you well know Steven, we have this bomb thing hanging over our heads. We don't have time to wait for a teenager to get over her aversion to cops," Danny pointed out.

"Threatening her will not get her to talk," Steve reminded him. "I am sure that Nahele will know how to deal with her."

"I think that is a good idea. Nahele is our best bet to reach her," Kono interrupted quickly. "We'll go back and help Chin and Lou wade through all that work. Somewhere in Bruce's background has got to be some clues that will tell us who shot him." She patted Danny on the shoulder and started toward the exit. Danny nodded and followed without a further word.

"Come on Nahele, let's go see if you have better luck with Mahina," Steve said and nudged the boy towards the elevators.

None of them had noticed the man standing near the desk holding a vase full of flowers, who had been listening intently to their conversation. Keawe Akina frowned as the group split up and the 5-0 leader took the young man up to see the girl. It had sounded good when he first heard that the girl would not talk to the cops but when McGarrett said the girl knew the boy, he became concerned. He would have to let Conrad know about this change in events. Their plan had been to find a way to get to the girl in the hospital and silence her but this had become sticky if the boy could get her to talk. They had no way of knowing just how much she had heard of their plans.

Dropping off the flowers at the desk, he headed out to his van that displayed the logo for his chain of florist shops that he owned throughout the islands. He had heard the girl was still alive on the news and since his presence at the hospital wouldn't raise any red flags, he had been the one to go scout out the situation. Conrad was waiting to learn how long the girl would be in the hospital so they could plan their next step.

Once in the van, he pulled out the burner phone and punched in Conrad's number. The untraceable cells allowed them to all stay in touch safely off the grid. He thanked his lucky stars that he had remembered to grab Bruce's last night when he was wiping away their fingerprints.

"So, do you have anything that will help us silence the girl?" Conrad asked after Keawe greeted him.

"Oh yea, the shit may have hit the fan now. The damn girl is still alive and McGarrett has found a boy who knows her. Nelson needs more time at the range, the girl's injury isn't very serious. The only good news is that it seems that the girl is not willing to speak to the cops about what happened. She is running from the foster system and wouldn't cooperate with 5-0. We have to hope that she won't talk to the kid or we will need to change our names and leave the island," Keawe said tersely.

"Relax a moment. I've talked to our friend at HPD and he says it's still early in the investigation. None of us are tied to Bruce except on the very fringes. You are right though, we need to silence that girl," Conrad replied.

"I don't like having McGarrett sniffing around. He's sharp and we don't know what that boy will get the girl to tell them," Keawe complained.

"McGarrett is only human, he can have an accident," Conrad responded confidently. "I have considered that 5-0 might have to be dealt with in a more permanent way. If they can't protect their own, they certainly can't protect Hawaii."

"Or you make him a martyr and people jump to support Denning because of it."

"Believe me, we can spin this in Makenna's favor. Trust me Keawe," Conrad laughed. "Don't worry, our eyes and ears behind the scenes will keep us one step ahead in this game. Go back to work, there is a good chance the girl won't tell the boy a thing."

"You are the boss Conrad so I will trust your judgment. But I think we need a plan B in case she blows our secrecy out of the water. I have no problem with getting rid of McGarrett, it would make this easier."

*H 5-0*

Steve and Nahele paused outside Mahina's room. McGarrett could tell that the boy was nervous.

"You'll do fine. Don't push her, if she doesn't want to talk you can't make her. I want you to gain her trust and then ask if she can help us. I promise we will find a way to deal with Child Services and not send her back to that home," Steve promised. "Are you sure you don't want me in the room?"

"No, you wait out here. If you come in I know she won't talk with you glowering at her," Nahele reminded him.

Steve crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Nahele with raised eyebrows.

"I don't glower."

"Oh yea? Take a look in a mirror. I have to go in that room alone," Nahele insisted.

"Okay," Steve relented. "Do your best." He slapped the boy on the back and gestured to the door. With a weak smile, Nahele nodded and went inside.

Inside he found Mahina resting with her head elevated and her eyes closed. The blinds were drawn and she looked very fragile in the dim light and it made him feel sad that he was going to complicate her life. He went to her and gently touched her hand.

"Hey…..Mahina, how are you?" he asked softly. "It's me, Nahele."

Her eyes fluttered open in surprise. She looked frightened until she realized it really was her friend.

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard about a shooting in that shop you've been crashing in. I figured you had to be the unidentified girl and I came to see if you are okay," he explained.

"You didn't tell them who I was, did you?" she asked anxiously.

"I came to see if you were okay," Nahele said sidestepping her question. "You can be in danger Mahina. I told you that wasn't a safe place to stay."

"I have to get out of here. They put a cop on my door. I can't help the cops, I didn't see the guy's face. 5-0 talked to me just a minute ago…..did they send you here? Did your friend the Commander tell you to talk to me?" she accused as the reason he was there dawned on her.

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. The muse has a review addiction, feedback is my only pay.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Runaway Witness V**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. No pay for this, no recognition from CBS, only my own burning desire to write.**

 **Thanks for reading the previous chapters. Let's see how Nahele handles this.**

Chapter 5

Nahele froze for a moment, caught between lying to her to get her to talk or telling the truth and risk her shutting him out completely. But if she learned he lied later, he would lose any trust she had in him.

"Mahina….please listen to me and don't freak out, okay? Yes, Commander McGarrett figured out that I knew you and he did ask me to talk to you. They found my fingerprints at the building and I couldn't lie to him either. I told them why you don't want to get involved with the cops and McGarrett said he can try to fix the foster home situation. He promised he would look into that house," Nahele quickly explained. He looked at her earnestly, placing his hand over hers and praying she would understand.

"And you believed him? Cops don't help, they just stick to the laws. I'm not eighteen….they will send me back. They never listened to me when I complained before," she said angrily.

"Steve's not like that. I told you he played straight with me, he listened when I told him about my dad. He could have sent me to jail for stealing his car but he didn't," Nahele continued to argue. He wrapped his fingers around her hand, relieved when she didn't pull it away. "If he said that he will help you then he will. The guy who shot you and his buddies may be involved in something bigger, more deadly. Steve saw your notebook, he knows you wrote stuff down about them. I wish you had talked to me about what you heard, I could have gotten you out of that building."

Mahina squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

"I don't know Nahele, I'm scared. You don't know how bad it is for a girl in Child Protection Services. They think I'm stupid and difficult. My foster family has clout, no one would listen to me when I tried to say what they did. Even 5-0 might not be able to fight that system," she said softly.

"Can't you at least answer some of Steve's questions? I promise I'll help you no matter what they say. Tell me what happened last night," he suggested.

"I heard raised voices downstairs and I got scared. I turned off the lantern and lay down but the voices came up through the vents. I could hear bits and pieces, a guy accused another of not being loyal. Then there were two loud pops that startled me and I guess I screamed. When I heard someone coming up the stairs I ran to the back window and tried to move the loose board to get out. I didn't see the guy but he shot me, two more bullets hit the window wood. I just curled up where I fell and hoped he would go away," Mahina told him in a rush. "I didn't see the guy's face, there was too little light coming in the front windows. I can't tell them any more than that."

"But you have heard these guys at other times. You might remember more than you think. 5-0 could help you remember things. Let me get Commander McGarrett in here," Nahele urged.

"I….I….don't think I can. You tell him what I said," she said and rubbed her forehead with her free hand. "I'm tired, my side hurts….please Nahele, I can't help," Mahina said softly. "I need to feel better, tell the Commander that maybe later I can remember more."

"Okay…..okay, I will tell him what you told me. But Mahina, I know you are too good a person to let these guys get away with shooting you and killing that other guy. They are planning to hurt more people and you may be the only person who can stop it from happening," Nahele insisted. "I know you will do the right thing."

Tears welled up in the girl's brown eyes. She felt more frightened and confused than ever. Her life had been hell while living with the Hamilton's and when she had tried to tell the authorities they had turned a deaf ear to her complaints. They would take her back, she was sure and make her pay for running away. That was a risk she was not willing to face.

"I'll think about it. Please just let me rest for now," she sighed.

"Okay, for now. I'll come back after work and visit. We will work things out Mahina, I promise. I won't let them send you back to that home, trust me. Okay?" he said eagerly.

Mahina nodded and withdrew her hand from his. Nahele touched her cheek lightly and went out to rejoin McGarrett. Steve pushed off of the wall he had been leaning against and looked expectantly at the boy.

"How did it go?"

"She's frightened, she doesn't believe you can help her with Child Protection Services. She turned off the lantern when she heard voices downstairs last night so she really didn't get a good look at the man who shot her. She has promised to think about talking to you, I said I would come back after work and visit. She is just scared Steve, give her a little time, okay?" Nahele asked.

"Okay, until the end of your shift. We don't have the time to wait forever. We don't know when they plan to set off those bombs or where they plan to do it," Steve told him.

"Maybe knowing Mahina is alive will change their plans. You know…maybe they'll hold off a bit," Nahele suggested.

"That could happen but it also could move up their timetable, we just don't know," Steve sighed and headed towards the elevators. Nahele walked beside him, feeling sick at the thought of how this could play out. He hated how this all fell on Mahina's shoulders.

"I can't force her to talk," he mumbled.

"Of course not," Steve said draping an arm across the boy's shoulders. He steered the young man into the elevator. "I promise I won't push her too hard but Mahina has to realize she can't hide what she knows. We can give her a few hours to think about things."

"Thanks Commander," Nahele said in relief.

"Nahele…..please, call me Steve. We do not need to stand on formality…we're friends, aren't we?" McGarrett said with a smile.

"Uh….yea. I just didn't want to presume…"

"It's Steve," McGarrett confirmed. "No presumption, we're friends."

"Thanks Steve," Nahele said with a warm smile.

*H 5-0*

Conrad Brickman sat back in his plush office and looked out on the city of Honolulu from the twenty-fourth floor that his business office occupied. The call from Keawe had him more worried than he cared to admit. He owned the fourth largest construction company on Oahu and it hadn't been an easy road to that position. He had also never shied away from flexing some muscle to get where he wanted to go but he was always smart enough to keep his distance and his hands clean. Now he was forced to admit that including his personal accountant in his political plans was a mistake and the second mistake was sending Nelson up to deal with a potential witness. He should have known his son wasn't seasoned enough to deal with the problem.

The fact that 5-0 was involved in this had made things difficult. Conrad had hoped that throwing out a few bags of heroin would distract the police enough so they wouldn't look for deeper reasons and that 5-0 would not become involved.

It was now becoming rapidly clear to Conrad that he had to deal with the girl and eliminate McGarrett as well. That thought did please him and while he knew that the rest of the taskforce was good, losing their leader would slow them down as they tried to cope. He could then move up their timetable and still accomplish their goals. He pulled out his disposable phone and placed another call.

"Hey Conrad, what is happening?" Bernard Driver asked, picking up on the second ring.

"Our witness is still alive. 5-0 is sniffing around and has found a kid who knows the girl. We can't let her talk."

"And how do you propose to silence her? Are you planning a hit in the hospital?" Bernie sighed. As president of a prominent back chain, he didn't want to be connected to a murder in the hospital.

"I'm still working on that. I was hoping that Keawe could get to her room and inject her with something but we've learned she has a guard on her door. We do know she is reluctant to talk to the police so we may have some time before she talks," Conrad informed him. "I also think that we have to deal with McGarrett."

A deeper sigh came from Driver.

"Conrad….going after him is dangerous. I don't know how much that girl could have heard from up on that second floor anyway or she would have gone to the cops earlier. We were careful to not use names most of the time and she couldn't have seen any of us," Bernie told him. "How much can she know?"

"We don't know how much she knows, that is the problem. If she cooperates with 5-0 this could blow up in our face," Conrad argued.

"Calm down Conrad. Nelson said she was a kid, do you think the cops will believe a kid?"

"We can't be sure. And we need to get rid of McGarrett, put 5-0 in disarray."

"I know you have a personal grudge against the McGarretts but I really don't think we need to go that far. I am no help in that department, you need to talk to Malcom, he has skills that will accomplish what you want," Bernard said coolly. He was all for making the political statement they had planned but taking on a Navy SEAL was not a skill set he had. He was much better in the planning department.

"All right, I will do that. You concentrate on getting our crew working on those bombs, we may have to make our move sooner," Conrad ordered.

"I can organize that," Bernard agreed. "Keep me informed."

"Right," Conrad said and broke the connection.

*H 5-0*

Mahina lay in bed with her mind whirling. A nurse came in and checked her vitals, smiling while she assured the girl that she was healing nicely and was a lucky young woman. After the woman left, the girl knew she had to do something before 5-0 came back and questioned her again. The IV had been removed earlier and she now had the freedom to move around the room so she slipped out of bed and checked to see how moving around felt. Pleased that she didn't experience too much pain, she knew she had to make a decision as to what to do next.

She had promised Nahele to consider talking to the Commander and she did understand that people could be in danger but she honestly didn't know what she could do to help. She had never seen any of the people who had met on the ground floor several times. When they had, she had sat in the dim light and tried to scribble down some of what she heard but it wasn't easy to understand them so she only caught a few words. If she couldn't help 5-0 the way they wanted she was sure they would not give a second thought to putting her back in the Hamilton's home. She needed to get out of this hospital room and then out of Honolulu. Nahele would be disappointed and she did believe that he wanted to help her. She wasn't angry that he wanted her to help the Commander, he was a good guy and someone she did still trust.

Going over to the door she quietly opened it a crack to see what was happening in the hall. The cop on guard was just outside, drinking from a large Starbucks Styrofoam cup. Smiling slightly, she closed the door, knowing that the man would probably need a bathroom break soon. Mahina knew that the shift change would coming up soon, the nurse had been making small talk and told her she had to pick up her kids from school in a little while. Somewhere in all that confusion, Mahina figured she could find a way to slip out as long as the cop had his coffee kick in soon.

Going to the small closet, she checked on what clothing they may have left of hers, knowing she couldn't walk out in just the gown. Opening it, she gazed at the meager contents in frustration when she discovered that only her yoga pants and slippers were there. Sighing, she realized that her T-shirt must have been destroyed by the blood and bullet hole so of course they wouldn't have saved it for her. She scanned the room, looking for something to substitute for a top. She rejected the blanket and sheets and bit her lip in frustration. Her fingers played with the edge of the gown as she considered her options and a strange idea popped into her head.

Removing the gown, she pulled on her slightly stained yoga pants and slipped her feet into her slippers. Using her teeth to put a tear into edge of the gown just below one arm hole, she tore a length of blue checked material. Wrapping it around her in a sarong-style, she secured it with a knot and returned to the door to wait for the right time to make her move.

It was about fifteen minutes before the guard got to his feet and headed to the nurse's station a few feet away. After talking to a nurse, he disappeared from her sight. Just a few minutes later two other nursed joined the one at the desk as the shift change began and the staff started their briefings with the newly arrived nurses. Easing the door open enough to slip through, Mahina headed away from the nurse's station, making her way to the nearest stairwell. None of the people in the hallway paid any attention to the slight figure who didn't make eye contact with anyone on her way out.

Once she was outside the hospital, Mahina got as far from the building as she could and found a bench that was under a large tree. Sitting, she took some deep breathes as she hugged her side which was protesting all the physical activity. It was no surprise that no one paid any attention to her, teenagers just didn't generate much interest from most adults unless they were causing a scene, something her life on the street had taught her.

She knew that her next step was to collect the extra clothing and bracelet supplies that her friend Paulie kept at his craft store. The guy had always been nice to her, offering to sell her bracelets in his shop and refusing to take a cut from the profits. He had told her he felt like she was like his granddaughter and he only wanted to help. She was able to store some extra supplies and clothing in his back room so that she didn't have to haul everything around with her.

Now she needed to get that stuff and any money from her bracelets and get out of Honolulu. She trusted Nahele but not his mentor. Depending on her funds, she would have to figure out how to get out of town before Commander McGarrett tracked her down.

End chapter.

 **Again, thank you for reading. It appears that our witness is on the run.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Runaway Witness VI**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I still make no profit off this story and they have not offered the show for sale…sigh.**

 **Thank you all of you who have read and reviewed. For those who give me encouragement as a guest, many thanks, I am sad I can't thank you personally.**

Chapter 6

Steve returned to headquarters with lunch after dropping Nahele off at Kamekona's shrimp truck. The team gathered in the conference room to eat and bring their leader up to speed on their search into Bruce Martin's life.

"Martin was really a loner, he buried himself in his work which he evidently was very good at," Danny said between bites. "He did the bulk of his accounting in personal tax returns but did handle some small businesses along with some financial consulting and estate planning. The clients we've been able to reach seemed pleased with his work and sad to hear he was dead. It is interesting that some of his clients who own bigger businesses, used him for their personal returns however they had their business taxes taken care of elsewhere."

"Kind of makes you wonder if they have something to hide," Lou put in.

"Well…..if the finances are handled by a company accountant in the big businesses, some owners don't like having an employee know their personal wealth and such," Chin observed. "Loose lips and all that."

"Heaven forbid that the peanut counters know what the guys in the glass towers are pulling in," Danny muttered.

"He had almost no social life other than his church which he was active in," Kono added.

Steve looked around the table and shook his head.

"He has to be connected with someone. He was either part of this potential bombing group and became a liability or he had the extreme bad luck of stumbling in on that meeting last night and hearing something he shouldn't have," Steve reflected. "We need to talk to his neighbors, church members and see if anyone knows what he was doing lately. We also need Mahina to open up to us, she had to have heard something last night that can help. What about employees, did he have anyone working for him?"

"Nope, he ran a one man shop, didn't even have a secretary," Kono answered.

At that moment Steve's phone rang.

*H 5-0*

After leaving Paulie's shop in a fresh T-shirt and shorts with the remainder of her worldly belongings in a large shoulder bag, Mahina got on a bus to head to Kamekona's shrimp truck. She got off a block away and approached the area, selecting a table as far away as possible and waited to catch Nahele's eye. Ten minutes later he noticed her and hurried over in concern.

"What are you doing out of the hospital? What are you thinking Mahina?" he asked sitting down across the table from her.

"I left. I'm heading out of town but I need a favor," she replied quickly. "Can I borrow enough money for a bus ticket? I hate to ask but I don't have enough from my bracelets and I can't stay in town any longer."

"But what about talking to 5-0? They need your help," he questioned, feeling awful that she was reluctant to do the right thing.

"I can't tell them anything important, I really don't know much. They said on the news that I'm alive and a witness, I have to get out of here," she insisted.

"Steve said he would help you. He promised and he always keeps his promises. He can protect you, I know he can," Nahele said firmly.

Mahina bit her lip and shook her head. Tears began to well up in her pretty dark eyes. She felt lousy but she couldn't do as he asked.

"I believe he means well but he doesn't have the clout to fight that system. He can't work miracles. I'd stay and help if I thought I knew something but I don't….not really. If you can't help me buy a ticket I'll hitchhike but I am going," she said with determination.

"Okay….okay," Nahele said holding up a hand. He could tell she was not going to change her mind. He had to do something to help her and Steve. An idea formed in his head and he smiled slightly. It might be somewhat crazy but it was the best he could come up with. "I'm supposed to get paid at the end of the week. Let me see if Kamekona will give it to me early. Stay here, I'll be back in a moment. Do you want something to eat or drink before you go?"

"I'm not hungry, but I could use something to drink. Maybe an iced tea?" she said in relief. "Thanks Nahele, I appreciate it. Thank you so much, you are the best."

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere, promise me," the boy said getting to his feet. When she nodded, he ran back to the truck.

Kamekona looked up as Nahele burst into the truck.

"What's up? Who's the pretty, young wahine out there?" the big guy asked.

"That's Mahina. I'm going to buy her an iced tea but I have a favor to ask. Can I get my pay check early? I'm going to need some time off, I promise I'll work double shifts without complaint when I get back. I need to help her and she insists on leaving town. Could you please call Steve….Commander McGarrett after we have left and tell him I'll call him as soon as I know where we're going? I'm going to try and convince her to come back but she shouldn't go alone. Can you do that for me?" he asked anxiously. He had filled Kamekona in on the whole story when Steve had dropped him off at work earlier.

The big man considered the boy's request, looked out the window at the girl sitting nervously at the far table and sighed.

"I hear you. Just how are you planning to travel?"

"The bus if we can afford it. She's threatened to hitchhike but that is not safe."

Kamekona went to the register and opened it. He withdrew several bills and pressed them into Nahele's hands.

"Here…..this is a loan. I'll call McGarrett and tell him but you make sure you contact him too. That money should cover tickets and some food, take care of the girl. You do as I say or I'll fire you for sure," Kamekona said gruffly.

"Thank you Kamekona," Nahele said in relief. "I promise I'll pay you back and I will call McGarrett when I know where we're ending up. I'll convince her to come home, tell him that."

"Okay….go on before she runs off. Take good care of her," Kamekona urged as the boy jumped out of the truck. As Nahele ran to Mahina the large man reached for his phone.

*H 5-0*

"How the hell did the girl get out past the security?" Steve demanded as he held the phone to his ear. "Check all the security footage, I want to know exactly when she walked out of there. We have to be sure that no one abducted her. Question everyone on that floor, we have to find her." Angrily he broke the connection and looked at his team. "Mahina is missing. A nurse checked on her and found a portion of her hospital gown ripped and on the floor. They think it happened during the shift change when the cop on the door took a bathroom break."

"You don't think the shooter took her?" Kono said accurately reading her boss' thoughts.

"No, it's possible but much more likely that the girl ran."

"We need to keep a lid on this. If she wasn't snatched then we do not want our shooter knowing she's out there," Lou said seriously.

"Shooters," Danny stated. "Ballistics did confirm it was a different gun that killed Martin than the one that injured Mahina. Both are types that were stolen from the gun shop robberies."

"Where would she go?" Chin asked. "She won't return to the crime scene and she doesn't have money or clothing."

"There's only one friend we know of….." Lou said looking at Steve.

Before he could respond, Steve's phone rang again. He looked down at it and saw Kamekona's caller ID.

"Hey Kamekona," he answered.

"McGarrett, I've got a message for you," the big guy announced.

"Is this about Nahele?"

"That's who asked me to call," Kamekona confirmed. "The boy wants you to know that he's leaving town with his young hoapili but he will call you as soon as he knows where they're headed. He said she'd go without him and he couldn't let that happen. I think the kid is falling for that girl."

"How are they travelling? How much money can Nahele have?" Steve asked in concern. The thought of the two teens on the run was not good and he wasn't sure if Mahina was ready to be out of the hospital. There was a pause before the big Hawaiian replied.

"I may have given the boy a loan," he finally admitted. "I didn't want them hitchhiking. He promised he would call you and I believe him. He mentioned taking a bus."

"Thank you Kamekona, you did good. Just how much money did you loan him?" Steve asked emphasizing the word loan. The rest of the team grinned at that.

"A little over two hundred….maybe three," Kamekona replied. "It was a slow day."

"I'm sure it was," McGarrett answered having trouble keeping a grin off of his face. "Thanks for the call. Let me know if he contacts you. And thank you for loaning him the money."

"No problem McGarrett. Nahele's a good kid and that girl needs help," the shrimp king said before hanging up.

Steve set his phone on the table and looked around at the eyes focused on him.

"So Mahina went to Nahele…that's interesting," Kono said with a grin.

"How are they leaving town?" Danny asked pulling out his own phone.

"Kamekona gave him money for bus tickets."

"We'll have to lock down the bus station immediately. How big of a start do they have?" Williams asked quickly.

"No, we don't lock down the bus station," Steve said firmly, surprising everyone in the room.

"Steven, have you forgotten that we need this girl?" Danny asked sharply. "We have a bomb threat hanging over our heads. We do not let our only lead flee the city."

"And if we drag Mahina back here, dump her in interrogation and question her, do you think she'll be any more helpful than she was in the hospital?" Steve said calmly. "She is not going to open up to us if we try to strong arm her, she doesn't trust us. Nahele told Kamekona he'd call me when he knows where they're going. I trust him to do that."

"But should that little girl even be out of the hospital?" Lou asked. "Those kids could find themselves in a heap of trouble."

"I realize that and I didn't say I wouldn't use other methods of tracking them down. Chin, please see if you can get a lock on Nahele's phone's GPS. We have to be pro-active. Kono, you and Danny can check the bus station and see if anyone recognizes the kid's photos and where they bought tickets to," Steve instructed.

"Now you are making some sense," Danny approved.

"Lou, can you look into Martin's church members. Take some HPD officers to help and have some canvassing the man's neighbors," McGarrett added.

"Right, someone has to know something about this guy. He had to talk to someone," the big man nodded.

"Chin, as soon as you have a direction for Nahele give me a call. I'm going to stick close to that bus in case those kids need me. I don't want a long drive once we know where they land," Steve informed his team. "You follow the Martin leads and anything else that pops up on our bomber case." He was confident that his ohana could handle this while he watched over Nahele and Mahina.

"Why doesn't Danny go with Lou? I can handle the bus station alone," Kono suggested.

"Fine, you guys know what to do," Steve said as he picked up his phone and headed out.

"Chin, once you've got Nahele's direction, let us know," Danny said getting to his feet. "If these killers have any clue that our bird flew the coop, Steve may need help. We need to remember they killed once to keep their secret, they'll do it again."

"You got that Danny. I'll join you as soon as I have the info Steve wants. If we can solve this on our end then that girl's life will be safe and she can get back in the hospital where she belongs," Chin told them.

"So let's do our part people, McGarrett's got his hands full," Lou said getting to his feet. "Time to start questioning the good people of Our Savior Methodist Church. This Martin joker has to have left some clues behind to why he was in that storefront last night."

End chapter.

 **Thank you so much for reading. It appears that 5-0 has a plan and we will see how it works. They don't know about the mole in HPD. Comments are always welcome.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Runaway Witness VII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I feel silly stating the obvious but I am thrilled we will get another season of inspiration.**

 **Again, thank you so much for the reviews, they keep me going. And again, I wish I could reply personally to those who review as guests. I appreciate the support.**

Chapter 7

Conrad wasted no time answering his burner cell when it rang not long after talking to Bernie.

"Hey Boss, I've got news," his contact at HPD informed him in a low voice. "The girl left the hospital is on the run. McGarrett is following her and the boy he has been playing big brother to. Everyone else is digging into Bruce's life."

"That is interesting, I think that helps us a lot. So just McGarrett is chasing the girl?"

"That's right. She's heading south, that's all I know for now," came the reply.

"Thanks Todd, you are an asset to the cause. I'll be in touch later," Conrad said sincerely.

After breaking contact with his HHPD mole, Conrad made a second attempt to reach Malcom, his first attempt had gone to voice mail. This time the man answered immediately.

"Hey Conrad, I was just about to call. Sorry I didn't pick up before but I was with a client and couldn't talk freely," Malcom informed him.

Conrad nodded to himself, not angry because he knew that Malcom Jamar ran a personal security company and he would not have been free to discuss things in front of others. Malcom was the man who had set up his home security system and also advised him on how to keep his construction sites safe from theft.

"Our plans have hit a bit of a snag Malcom."

"McGarrett, right?" Jamar said quickly. "I told you he'd be our biggest obstacle, didn't I?"

"You did but the others didn't want to get that bold. Things have shifted and I believe we have no choice other than to eliminate the man. I know the rest of the team is good but losing McGarrett will throw them into chaos long enough for us to complete our mission. I have Bernie putting our assembly line to work, we may have to speed up our timetable. Once Carson is in the Governor's mansion, we will not have to worry about the rest of that team," Conrad said confidently. "The rest of the task force will be lucky if they can get jobs writing parking tickets."

"You don't have to convince me, I've been on your side all along," Malcom chuckled. "Bruce had no ability to see the big picture and the measures that are necessary to achieve the greater good."

"I knew I could count on you," Conrad said in satisfaction. "Our girl is on the run and McGarrett is following. As soon as my guy lets me know where the girl is headed, I'll call you. We may be able to eliminate our problems in one fell swoop."

"Call me when you are ready to move," Malcom said before breaking the connection.

*H5-0*

Steve headed south on H 1, planning to follow the bus and see if the teens got off anywhere before their final destination. Kono had checked with the bus terminal and learned the pair were on a bus that was headed for Waimanalo Beach and it had left the station five minutes earlier. Chin confirmed that Nahele's GPS did indeed show that the boy was moving down the H 1.

As he maneuvered through traffic, Steve resisted using the lights or siren in case he caught up to the bus too fast and the sound spooked Mahina. He had time since he knew the route the bus was taking. Kono had also told him that the next stop was at Hawai'i Kai and it would remain there for twenty minutes to unload and pick up new passengers. He did not need to create a scene chasing the bus, he would have plenty of time once it reached its next stop.

Going with the flow of traffic gave Steve time to think and he kept running the situation over and over in his head, trying to make sense of the threat they were facing. He didn't like that there had been no warnings or rumblings pertaining to a group that held a grudge against the state of Hawaii or any special target. Of course there was always some nutcase with a grudge but knowing that there were at least four members of this group and maybe more, had McGarrett very worried. This was beginning to look like a very organized group who knew how to plan and they had managed to fly under the radar for some time.

When his thoughts turned to Mahina and her fleeing town, he hoped that he wasn't making a mistake letting Nahele handle this. He had listened to Kono and Danny telling him how terrified the girl was when they spoke to her and knew that dragging her back to town would not gain her trust without Nahele helping smooth the way. He had promised the boy that he would try to help Mahina and he meant that. He would give Lynn a call and see if she could find a way to help the girl. Somewhere along the line Mahina had been placed in a bad situation and there had been no one to look out for her.

Up ahead he spotted the bus and he moved the Silverado into the same lane, allowing several vehicles to stay between them. All he had to do was cruise along, waiting for the bus to make its stop in Hawai'i Kai.

*H 5-0*

Arriving home after deciding his work day was done, Conrad had just entered his home when his phone rang again.

"Conrad, the girl is on a bus heading to Waimanalo Beach with McGarrett following. The bus makes one stop at Hawai'i Kai for about twenty minutes to drop off and pick up passengers. As I understand it, that's where McGarrett hopes to confront them and convince the kids to return to Honolulu," Todd reported quickly.

"Excellent," Conrad said as plans quickly began forming in his mind. "Good work. You aren't arousing any suspicion with your questions, are you?"

"No problem Conrad. We've all been told to assist 5-0 in any way on finding background on the shooting victim. HPD isn't in the loop on the bomb information just yet, this is just being treated as a murder case that involves a runaway girl. I heard Duke Lukela talking to Kono Kalakaua after she had been to the bus station and that's how I know where the girl is headed. The Sarge is tight with 5-0 and when I offered to help in any way, he was quite forthcoming about the kids," Todd laughed.

"Just be careful not to appear too eager. We don't want anyone looking at you too closely," Conrad cautioned.

"I'm good, no one suspects. They have officers concentrating on Bruce's associates but he was pretty much a loner. When they get to his clients they will want to talk to you if they haven't already."

"I can handle their questions. They haven't gotten to me just yet," Brickman said confidently. "Now I'll call Malcom, we have a bus to catch. Call if anything changes."

"I will. Good hunting," Todd answered and hung up.

Conrad quickly reconnected with Malcom and informed him of what he wanted. Then he called Nelson, instructing his son to come home immediately. Once the calls were made, he went to his block storage building behind his house where he had stored the stolen weapons they had acquired. Grabbing four rifles that had been converted to automatic and a bag of ammo along with several handguns he made a couple trips hauling them to his Suburban. After relocking the shed he placed them in the cargo portion of the large vehicle with dark tinted windows. Securing them in place he then set about replacing his license plates with a set of stolen ones. By the time he had finished, Nelson had arrived at the house.

"Hey Dad, what's up?"

"We're going to correct your mistake. Todd says the girl fled the hospital and is on the run. He told me she's on a bus and McGarrett is following them alone. We have the chance to shut her up and take out McGarrett. Are you ready to do that?" Conrad asked.

"Yes sir, I can handle it," the twenty-three year old asserted. He looked repentant. "Dad, I'm sorry I screwed up. I didn't confirm the kill."

"It's okay Nelson, we'll fix it. I know you panicked, you're inexperienced," Conrad said as he gave his son a quick one armed hug. He had been annoyed at first but he knew Nelson would not make the same mistake again. The boy was a good kid and Conrad knew he could trust his son with all his plans. "Come on, we have to pick up Malcom and Lon, we have a job to finish."

*H 5-0*

On the bus, Nahele looked at Mahina as she leaned against his shoulder, sound asleep. They hadn't been on the road very long but she had dozed off almost as soon as the bus left the station. That had not given him time to bring up the subject of reconsidering her decision to leave town or to discuss with her the need to trust Steve McGarrett. He hesitated calling the Commander in case she woke up before he could talk to her and she felt he was betraying her. It also hadn't escaped his notice that she looked a lot paler than normal and winced every time she lifted her shoulder bag or twisted a bit. He hadn't thought about the risk to her health when he decided to go along with this plan but now he knew he realized the necessity of convincing her to talk to McGarrett and go home. He watched the scenery fly by as the bus moved down the highway and headed towards Hawai'i Kai where they would stop on the far side of town. When the bus entered the town and began to slow down, he gently shook Mahina awake.

*H 5-0*

Steve remained close to the bus along Highway 72 as it moved through first Kuli'ou'ou and then into Hawai'i Kai proper. Knowing where the bus was going to stop, he stayed patient and slipped back a bit further in traffic, just keeping the bus in sight. When the bus signaled its turn into the large parking lot of the diner that doubled as the bus stop, he continued past it and parked a few feet beyond in front of a beachwear shop. Getting out he waited for a break in traffic and then crossed the street to make his way back to the diner.

He paused at the edge of a gift shop next to the diner and watched the passengers stream off of the bus. Some were heading inside the diner to grab a snack or use the restrooms while others headed away since this was their stop. A few decided to take advantage of the lovely weather and moved to the grouping of umbrella covered picnic tables that could be serviced by a takeout window. It wasn't long before he spotted Nahele and Mahina leave the bus and walk to one of the tables. After making sure that Mahina was settled, Nahele headed to the takeout window. Even from a distance, Steve could see that the girl looked uncomfortable and rather pale. He was proud of how Nahele was taking care of his friend. While he kept an eye on the girl, his phone suddenly buzzed.

"McGarrett," he said answering without looking at the caller ID.

"Steve…it's Nahele. We're at the bust stop in Hawai'i Kai. I'm sorry I took off without talking to you but Mahina was set on running and this was the best I could come up with," the teen said hurriedly.

"It's okay Nahele. You did the best you could under the circumstances. Before you say anything more, you need to know I'm here in Hawai'i Kai. I tapped into your phone's GPS, we don't know if the killers know that Mahina left the hospital. I couldn't risk your safety. I will give you time to talk to her, you can break it to her that I am here but we don't have all the time in the world," Steve told him swiftly.

Nahele took a deep breath and looked around the area. Mahina was still sitting at the table and no one was paying any special attention to her. His turn came up at the window and he placed his order and then spoke again, relieved that McGarrett was nearby.

"I'm glad you are here. I don't think Mahina is feeling very well. She needs to be back in the hospital but I'm afraid to suggest it. Let me take her our drinks and prepare her and then come over. I am afraid she may fall apart or run, I don't know which," he responded.

"Okay buddy, talk to her. Explain that the doctors felt she shouldn't be out of the hospital. I'm over by the gift shop next door," Steve told him and hung up.

He watched Nahele pay for two juice smoothies and look over to where Steve was standing. With a smile and a nod, he then returned to Mahina with the drinks. As he sat down, he gave Mahina a warm smile.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm tired and sore," Mahina replied tiredly. "Thanks for the drink."

"I owed you one since I forgot to give you the iced tea at Kamekona's," Nahele grinned. "You look like it's more than just being tired. Maybe you should be in the hospital."

"I can't. They will call CPS."

"Mahina, listen to me, you can trust Steve to help you. He really did help me and I know he will do the same for you. Don't look so scared….please listen to me," Nahele pleaded as he took her hand in his. "I just talked to him, he tapped my phone's GPS and followed us. He is afraid that those killers may be after you, we will need his help.

Shock and wariness flooded Mahina's face and she tried to pull her hand free but Nahele held it tight.

"How could you do that? I trusted you," she said in a small, hurt voice.

"You can trust me. Trust that I know Commander McGarrett and he can be trusted. I don't want you to be running around this island on your own, I am frightened for you. Even if those guys don't find you, you aren't looking like you are okay. You left the hospital too soon," he told her. "Listen to Steve, he can convince you that he means what he says when he tells you that you won't go back to that house."

Steve headed towards them when Nahele looked his way and nodded. The girl looked trapped but didn't get up from the table. McGarrett sat down across the table from the pair of teens.

"Mahina, I know that you're scared and feel trapped but please just listen to me," Steve said kindly. "I promise that I will protect you. Don't be angry with Nahele, he is only concerned with your safety. He didn't want to see you hurt. Will you listen to me?"

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. Locations in this story such as the bus stop are my creations, I don't know if the bus stops in Hawai'i Kai. I work mainly from maps that I can find of the island.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Runaway Witness VIII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Sure would be nice if I did, but at least I can still play with the characters.**

 **I really appreciate the lovely support I get from you. Thank you.**

Chapter 8

Feeling worn down from her injury and her fear, Mahina sighed and nodded.

"I'll listen Commander but I don't think I can help you," she said softly. "I never heard any names."

"But you did hear some of their plans. You made notes but we need you to decipher them for us. We can help you remember things, it may tell us more than you realize," Steve explained. "This is very important, we believe they are planning on hurting a lot of people. We have to prevent that." He smiled at Mahina, holding her gaze steadily. "I will protect you and I'm worried you have left the hospital too soon," he added gently.

Mahina chewed on her lower lip, knowing that the Commander was right about how she felt physically, her energy level was low. She felt her fear of this man retreating when he looked at her with such kind eyes. Others had made promises to her in the past and they had lied but she wanted to believe in Commander McGarrett, something in his gaze told her he could be trusted. Nahele tightened his fingers on hers and she felt comforted. It was just very difficult to trust any adult to keep their word when so few had.

None of the three sitting at the picnic table knew that the decision to go home would soon be out of their hands.

*H 5-0*

Malcom Jamar had his gear ready as he and his top employee waited in his office for Conrad Brickman to show up. Lon Keller looked at his boss in concern.

"Hey Mal, I'm on board with the bombs but isn't trying to off McGarrett a bit suicidal? What is Conrad's beef with the guy? Has he had a run in with him, it sounds personal?"

"It's the family. McGarrett's old man killed Conrad's younger brother twenty two years ago. Of course Tommy was a bad egg and ran with the wrong crowd but Conrad loved the kid. He was twelve years older than the boy and indulged him. Since John McGarrett was murdered and his boy returned to run the task force Conrad has transferred his hatred to the son. This whole Makenna thing has just brought everything to the surface," Malcom explained.

"Can we trust his judgment?"

"As long as he keeps his head in the game and I happen to see his point about McGarrett and 5-0. Taking out the Commander will throw 5-0 out of step for a bit. They'll bounce back but we'll have time to carry out our main mission." A smile spread out over his dark features. "If I could control this, I would make sure they wouldn't be able to confirm what happened to McGarrett."

"This isn't just about getting Makenna elected for you, is it?" Lon asked shrewdly.

"Nope but I'd rather keep that to myself for now. We'll just roll with Conrad's plan. Here he is, let's go," Malcom replied and gathered up a rifle case and duffel before heading out the door.

As the Suburban cruised to the H 1, Conrad filled everyone on what his HPD contact told him. The contractor laid out his plan to pick off McGarrett at the bus stop at Hawai'i Kai if possible and then chase down the kids when they attempted to run.

"I think that's a mistake Conrad," Malcom argued from directly behind him. "If we off McGarrett in front of witnesses and chase down those kids 5-0 will know this is about those stolen bomb materials for sure. They'll just dig deeper and harder to identify us. The task force isn't a group of lightweights after all. It won't be a big leap to figure out we've been tipped off on where McGarrett was."

"So what do you suggest?" Conrad snapped in irritation.

"That we force McGarrett into running with the kids. Make him head away from Honolulu and chase him to a secluded area where he can disappear with few to no witnesses. Let 5-0 spend time trying to find him, not knowing if he's dead or alive while we go back and complete our plans," the military trained man explained. He checked over his sniper rifle while they travelled. He then looked up to meet Conrad's eyes in the rearview mirror.

Conrad burst into loud laughter.

"Did you hear that Nelson? Malcom is always thinking, his training is an asset to the group. Thanks Malcom, that is brilliant."

"I just want to get back to our original goal…..election day is getting closer. You have ski masks in this hunk of junk, don't you? I don't want any upstanding citizens identifying us in spite of these tinted windows."

"Sure thing. They're in the box behind you," Conrad confirmed as he increased his speed to the limit, anxious to get this over with.

*H 5-0*

All right Commander, I'll go back with you. I don't think that I can help you but I'll try. I do swear that I will run away as soon as I can if CPS puts me back with the Hamiltons. No one can make me stay there," Mahina said heatedly. Nahele released her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, hugging her quickly.

"Thank you Mahina. I promise you that I will not let CPS railroad you back into that home. We will look into that couple, I have a friend who may be able to help," Steve promised seriously. "We will protect you. Now let's go back to town and have a doctor look you over. We don't want you pulling out those stitches."

At Mahina's nod and tentative smile, the three rose from the table. Nahele took Mahina's shoulder bag and continued to keep an arm around the girl's shoulders. They followed a pace behind Steve as he led the way towards the Silverado.

Nearing the street, they paid no special attention to an approaching dark Suburban whose window behind the driver was down three quarters of the way. At the last moment, Steve looked at the approaching vehicle, noticed the ski mask on the driver and a rifle muzzle poking out the window.

"Nahele, Mahina, get down," he ordered sharply as he reached for his gun and swung towards the vehicle. A series of shots rang out hitting the area around them and one plowing across Steve's right thigh leaving a deep bloody graze. Dropping to one knee, he fired after the vehicle, taking note of the license plate. Watching the large SUV roar away, McGarrett then twisted around to check on the two teens who were huddled together on the ground.

"Are you two okay?" he asked in concern.

"Yes, we're okay. Nothing hit us," Nahele said as he helped Mahina to her feet. She moaned softly as her side protested the movement.

"Good, we have to move. I don't know if they'll be back. We need to get out of here," Steve instructed. Brandishing his badge, he began to urge the pair across the street as traffic stopped to let them cross.

Nahele noticed Steve was limping and saw the blood staining the front of his right grey pant leg.

"Steve, you're hurt," the boy asked anxiously.

"I'm good, it's just a scratch," Steve said quickly trying to ignore the pain in his leg as they reached the truck. "Get in."

The two kids hurried around to the passenger side and climbed in. As Steve reached to open the driver's door, the large SUV came back from the direction it had disappeared. He pulled open the door and used it as a partial shield as a hand gun spit out several shots, striking pavement, the door and finally the back quarter panel of the truck bed as it passed by.

Scrabbling into the driver's seat, Steve jammed the key into the ignition, pulled the door shut and started the engine. Quickly putting the Silverado in drive, he joined the traffic heading out of Hawai'i Kai and away from Honolulu.

"Are those the men that shot Mahina?" Nahele asked from beside him as Mahina huddled in the back seat.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Steve said grimly. He considered turning up one of the side streets and winding through residential streets to make his way back to Honolulu but his gut told him that might be expected by his pursuers. They could be on his tail at any minute and a shootout with the two kids in his vehicle was not his first choice. His best bet was to get a lead and keep it until help could be sent to take out the Suburban. He also didn't want to risk innocent bystanders getting caught up in a gunfight in their neighborhood if he could help it.

With one hand on the steering wheel, he dug his phone out of his pocket, trying to ignore the pulsing pain in his right leg as he pressed down on the accelerator. He handed the phone to Nahele.

"Call Danny, let him know what's happening," Steve instructed as he activated the siren and lights, increasing the truck's speed. "Tell him we're heading toward Waimanalo Beach on 72, there's a dark Suburban pursuing us. Shots have been fired. License number is MLB 751."

"Will they follow us?" Mahina asked fearfully. She turned to look out the back window.

"I'm betting they will. Keep watch Mahina. They've missed more than they hit so they aren't finished yet," Steve replied as he concentrated on moving through traffic which was becoming lighter as they left the city limits.

"Hello, Det. Williams, this is Nahele. Steve wants you to know we've been shot at and are being followed by a dark Suburban with the license MLB 751," the boy informed Danny as soon as he reached the detective. He put the phone on speaker. "You're on speaker Detective."

"Steven, how did you get into trouble just following a bus?' Danny demanded.

"Not my fault Danny. Somehow they knew I was here with the kids. Unless this is totally unrelated which I doubt, we've got a leak somewhere. They are either lousy shots or they missed on purpose and wanted us to run. I won't bet that they will miss if they catch up at us again. I'm heading towards Waimanalo Beach, I didn't want a gunfight in Hawai'i Kai, I have a feeling I'm out gunned," Steve spit out.

"I'll alert the police in both places for backup. Are you okay?" Danny asked.

"I'm fine," Steve snapped at the same time Nahele told him that Steve had been hit in the leg.

"It's not nice to lie Steven," Danny chided. "Nahele, keep the big guy functioning and stay in touch. We're on our way."

"I will Detective," Nahele promised as Steve insisted he really was fine, it was just a scratch.

"Don't believe him Nahele," Danny ordered. "Keep an eye on him. Hang in there partner."

"Thanks Danny," Steve answered and nodded to Nahele to break contact.

"Steve, what should I do, you're still bleeding?" the boy asked as he looked at McGarrett's leg.

"There's a first aid kit in the glove box. There are gauze packs inside," Steve told him.

Following Steve's instructions, Nahele found the kit and tore open a couple of the gauze packets. He pressed the material against the bloody tear in McGarrett's pants, trying not to flinch as Steve let out a painful hiss. He tried to tuck it into the pant leg to hold it in place.

"I'm not sure this is helping."

"Just keep the pressure on for now, it will have to do. You are doing a good job buddy," Steve assured him.

"Commander, I think I see that big vehicle back there," Mahina spoke up timidly.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, Steve nodded.

"Thanks Mahina. I see it," he acknowledged, not sure if it was the same vehicle but pleased to see it wasn't gaining on them.

With his leg throbbing and the sound of his heart pounding fast, Steve wondered how long he could keep the accelerator pressed down. He also wondered if he had made a major mistake by not weaving through the streets and heading back to Honolulu but that would have slowed them down and he had Nahele and Mahina to protect. He was sadly aware that he didn't have the ammunition to our fight those in the other vehicle.

The sun was beginning to dip towards the west as they travelled Highway 72 around Koko Head Crater on the scenic highway. He was relieved that traffic was lighter than usual so he could keep his speed up but he wasn't sure how long he could maintain it. His only hope was that Danny sent that back up quickly and there wouldn't be any more shooting.

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. I hope this story is keeping you entertained. Comments are always welcome.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Runaway Witness IX**

 **Disclaimer: I so not own Hawaii 5-0. But writing this helps me get through the show's hiatus.**

 **I appreciate those of you who take time to leave me a review. Feedback is really what keeps me wanting to write.**

Chapter 9

"Can't you make this bucket of bolts move faster?' Lou groused from the passenger seat as Danny attempted to weave through traffic with lights flashing and the siren blasting. Chin and Kono were doing their best to keep up in Chin's Mustang.

"I'm doing the best I can. How is it that people won't pull over when they hear a siren?" Danny growled. "Would you like to get out and clear a path?"

"No thanks. Maybe McGarrett has a good reason to drive on the sidewalk sometimes," Lou responded and was rewarded with an amused snort from Danny.

"You may be right but don't ever tell him that," the blonde ordered.

"Hey, it may be tempting but only McGarrett would attempt it," Lou grinned. He sobered up as a thought crossed his mind. "So how do you suppose our bad guys knew where McGarrett was going? Do you think that there is a leak at HPD?"

"There could be. They might have had someone keeping an eye on the hospital but then why not grab her when she walked out?" Danny asked. "It had to come from inside HPD."

"Well Duke is checking on that but I'm not sure anyone is going to confess," Lou pointed out as Danny swung down onto the H 1.

"We'll find the bastard," Williams growled. "Someone is feeding these guys information, it's just lucky we haven't clued them in the bomb threat."

"If they're connected to the group then it would mean he or she knows we're investigating and probably closing in," Lou stated. "We should probably check to see if anyone is taking a surprise vacation soon. So….now explain again why McGarrett didn't just double back in Hawai'i Kai and head home at the first sign of trouble?"

"He said he didn't want a gunfight while trying to protect two kids. I'm not sure how many guns were in that Suburban. And those damn license plates were stolen so we can't ID it from them. He felt he had a head start on Highway 72 so he was going to keep going," Danny replied, defending his partner's choice.

"Okay, I can see his point but if he's wounded this might not be the smartest move. The man does not have super powers after all," Lou observed.

"You can explain that to him after we save his ass. Steven has serious trouble toning down his hero complex," Williams sighed. "Lou, he has Nahele and Mahina to take care of, that ups the ante for him."

"I hear you. You've got to admire the man for the way he puts himself out there for others," Grover nodded.

*H 5-0*

"Want me to shoot his tires out?" Malcom spoke up from behind Conrad as Brickman was unable to close the distance on the Silverado.

"Malcom, you're a good shot but I doubt you can manage that from this distance," Conrad snapped, angry he couldn't catch the vehicle ahead of them.

"Maybe not but I'd love to try," Malcom chuckled, enjoying being able to bait Conrad a bit. "With the wound to his right leg I suspect McGarrett will not be able to maintain that speed for long."

"You had better be right. The man has a phone, he can call for backup," Conrad snarled.

"Then let's hope your mole does his job and runs interference for us," Malcom smirked. He liked Conrad but sometimes the man was inclined to think only he had the answers. "Otherwise we're going to have to give up everything we've built in our lives and run."

"He'll do what he has to do, trust me," Conrad said sullenly. He hoped Todd was as safe from suspicion as the man had stated. That only made it more important to silence the girl and eliminate McGarrett.

*H 5-0*

The subject of Conrad's thoughts was doing his best to block the pain in his leg and he gripped the steering wheel fighting to keep the truck in its lane. Traffic had lightened up but the dark Suburban still dogged them, not closing in but not falling back either. Sweat was beading on his forehead and along the hairline at the back of his neck. His pulse continued pounding in his ears and he knew he was running on pure adrenalin at the moment. Every now and then his leg would spasm and the truck would slow until he could press down again. Swearing under his breath brought a startled look from Nahele. The boy could feel the trembling in Steve's leg as he held a new pack of gauze down to stop the bleeding.

"Steve…Commander…are you okay?"

"I'm trying," Steve said tersely. "I'm not sure how long I can keep the accelerator down." He shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Glancing at the speedometer to see if he was losing speed, his eyes moved over the cruise control switch. For one short moment he wanted to bang his head on the steering wheel for not thinking of it sooner but opted to just turn the darn thing on. The truck smoothly transitioned to the automatic control and Steve was able to ease his foot off of the accelerator and felt the small relief of being able to relax the leg.

"I think they are getting closer," Mahina warned from the backseat.

Steve glanced in the rearview mirror once more but didn't see much difference in the space between the two vehicles. Given the speed they were travelling he no longer wondered if this was the SUV that had shot at them, any innocent driver would not be exceeding the speed limit as this one was. He could only hope that the cruise control didn't burn out at this pace and that HPD backup would arrive soon. That thought made him frown…..backup from Hawai'i Kai should have been joining them by now, what was delaying them?

He was about to have Nahele call Danny again when there was a jolt and the unmistakable reaction of a tire blowing out. He had not seen the debris that some careless partiers had dumped a half hour earlier. Several pieces of broken glass were scattered over the road. The Silverado's right front tire had hit several large pieces that punctured the tire.

Fighting to control the vehicle, Steve instantly dropped out of cruise and struggled to keep the truck pointing forward but lost the battle to stay on the road. The Silverado fishtailed and then plowed down into a steep ditch, still at a high rate of speed.

"Hang on," he warned the teens as he stomped on the brakes to slow the headlong rush towards a large tree.

Nahele and Mahina did their best to brace themselves as the truck came to an abrupt and sickening halt. Both front airbags activated, pressing Steve and Nahele back in their seats.

Stunned briefly, McGarrett shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and knew they needed to move quickly.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked as he pushed on the bag and unbuckled his seat belt. "Nahele? Mahina?"

"Yea," the boy responded, punching his bag down and releasing his belt. "Mahina?" he then asked twisting in his seat to look at her.

"I'm okay," came a soft reply.

"Let's move, get out and head into the brush. Get out of sight of the road," Steve ordered tersely. "We don't want them to see you." He pushed open the door and looked back at the Suburban that was closing in fast. The kids got out with Nahele almost carrying Mahina into the wooded area.

McGarrett limped around the vehicle and positioned himself by the truck bed, using it as a body shield.

The Suburban baked to a halt a few yards from the truck that was tilted in the ditch. No one made an attempt to leave the SUV immediately but the passenger window rolled down and a rifle muzzle poked out and sprayed the area in a wide arc, placing holes in the truck's body.

Steve placed a couple shots at the window which from his angle probably hit the ceiling of the SUV and was rewarded with angry shouts. Not waiting around to see if he actually hit anything, Steve hobbled to where the teens had disappeared, knowing that they couldn't waste time and had to get as far ahead as possible.

"Come on," he instructed. "We've got to find some place to hide until help comes. Someplace I can defend. Hurry."

"You can't run on that leg. Let me help," Nahele stated when he saw how difficult it was for Steve to even stand. Going to the Commander's side, he wrapped an arm around Steve's waist. "Lean on me."

Knowing that there was no time to waste arguing, Steve shifted his gun to his left hand and put his arm around Nahele's shoulders.

"Okay, let's go," he urged and the trio hurried deeper into the wooded area as fast as they could manage.

Steve's eyes searched the landscape before them, seeking a spot where they could dig in and defend until help arrived. He would have never admitted it out loud but it helped a lot to have Nahele help hold him up. Pain radiated up his leg with every step and his heartbeat pounded in his ears as he fought down a feeling of nausea. Where was that backup?

"We need to call Danny, "Steve panted as they moved forward.

"I ….uh….I dropped your phone when the air bag hit me," Nahele confessed guiltily.

"You've still got yours, right?"

"Oh, yes," Nahele said in relief. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Mahina was a few feet ahead of them as they made their way further away from the road and she suddenly halted and pointed to a grouping of trees just off to the left. There were several large rocks at the base of the trees providing enough protection for three people.

"How about there Commander?" she asked.

"Good eye Mahina, "Steve approved and increased his pace with Nahele hurrying to keep in step.

The trio hustled around the thick grouping and settled down close to the rocks. Steve crouched behind one of largest rocks where he could keep an eye out for their attackers from between the tree trunks. Mahina sat cross-legged on the ground hugging her shoulder bag while Nahele dug his phone out of his pocket. He moved over by McGarrett who then gave him Danny's number to call.

"Det. Williams, it's Nahele again. We've crashed the truck, Steve says we're near the Solar Observatory on Highway 72. We had to run into the woods but the shooters are after us," the teen stammered, trying to explain hurriedly what had happened. "He wants you to know we're still waiting for backup."

"Tell him we are on our way," Danny said quickly. "I have no idea where the backup is, I left instructions with HPD. We'll call again."

"Steve thinks there are four after us, it was hard to tell, the windows on the Suburban were tinted. He also said that his ammo is limited."

"I understand Nahele. Stay calm. We will be there as fast as we can," Danny said trying to reassure the boy. "Tell Steve we will be there soon."

"I will," Nahele promised and hung up, softly repeating Danny's words to McGarrett. Steve nodded, keeping his eyes on the brush. His head was still pounding unmercifully and all the running had his right leg muscles screaming in pain. His eyes swept the brush beyond them for any sign of movement.

Mahina waved Nahele to come over to her and when he sat beside her she began to whisper.

"Nahele….the Commander's leg is bleeding pretty badly. He needs it bandaged."

"How?"

"Maybe one of my shirts," Mahina suggested as she dug in her bag and pulled out a bright purple T-shirt. "It's clean, if you tear it, it will fit around his leg," she said handing it to him.

Nahele nodded and carried the shirt over to McGarrett.

"Steve, we need to stop your bleeding," the boy said quietly.

McGarrett glanced at the bright shirt with a raised eyebrow and then down at his right leg which was stretched out as he knelt on his bent left knee. The blood stain was spreading down the material and he could see the fresh blood seeping out of the tear in the cloth. The boy was right, he couldn't continue to ignore the blood loss and it was vital that he remain conscious to protect the kids.

"Okay, you do that," he agreed as Nahele tore the material with his teeth. "Now fold it over and then wrap it tightly," he instructed. He glanced back at Mahina who was watching and gave her a smile. "Thanks Mahina."

Sounds of branches breaking off to the left forced his attention back to the direction they had come from. They would soon learn if their hiding place was any good.

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you are enjoying the ride now that the whump has arrived.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Runaway Witness X**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I will never get any payment for this little exercise but I love doing it.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews, they make me want to keep writing.**

Chapter10

"Stay down, Steve hissed as the sounds of breaking brush became louder.

Mahina folded in on herself, covering her head with her arms. Nahele bent lower but continued to work on securing the shirt ends in a knot. As he pulled the ends tight to keep it from untying, he felt McGarrett flinch a bit but the man didn't utter a sound. There was no mistaking the pain that Steve must be feeling, Nahele could see how stiffly McGarrett held himself and the clench of his jaw. The boy had no idea what would happen if Steve passed out and left he and Mahina to fend for themselves. He eyed the weapon in Steve's hand and wondered if he would have the nerve to use it.

As if sensing the boy's emotions, Steve looked at the bright wrap around his thigh and gave Nahele a smile.

"Thanks, you did a good job," he told the teen. "Go back to Mahina, she needs you. Stay low."

Nahele crawled back to the girl and leaned over her, whispering reassurances in her ear. He could feel her body quaking beneath him so he wrapped his arms around her.

Steve had refocused on the area beyond their hiding place. The sounds of approach had quieted so he kept scanning the area knowing the attack could come from several directions. When it did he would have to be careful with his shots, he only had one spare clip on him. He wished he had had time to grab more before abandoning the Silverado but the Suburban had been too close to let him arm himself the way he needed to. Leaning against the rock, he kept his eyes moving and listened for sounds of their pursuers.

*H 5-0*

"How far away is this crash site?" Grover grumbled as they raced along the scenic highway. Tension was not allowing him to enjoy the beautiful shoreline views.

"Not too far," Danny breathed as he concentrated on the road. Sunset was a while off but Danny knew it would be darker in the wooded area which would only complicate things. That would only make it more difficult for Steve to defend himself with multiple hunters coming after him. "Tell Kono and Chin we'll have to move fast when we get there. And ask if they have heard why HPD is so slow responding."

*H 5-0*

When they had seen McGarrett hobble into the brush none of the men rushed out of the Suburban to follow. Malcom pointed out that their quarry wasn't moving all that fast and they needed to gather their weapons, ammo and flashlights as things would be much darker among the dense trees. Once outfitted, they spread out as they moved forward, looking for signs of where the trio had passed. Lon took the far left with Malcom next then Nelson and Conrad on the outside to the right.

Nelson was nervous, his doubts rising up as he feared he would end up letting his father down once more. This wasn't like heading into the forest to kill a wild boar…these were humans they were pursuing and McGarrett had a gun. He kept shifting his rifle from hand to hand as he tried to wipe his sweaty palms off on his pants. With his eyes straining to see through the brush, he kept tripping over branches and rocks. Spotting Malcom, he flinched as the man sent a murderous glare his way.

"Nelson….relax," his father voice startled him from off to the right. "You'll be fine, this is just another hunting trip. You can do this," Conrad said in a low voice. "Relax."

Nelson swallowed and nodded to his father. He needed to concentrate on settling down and controlling his nerves. If only he could convince himself that this was the same as any other hunting trip.

"Thanks Dad."

"You can do this," Conrad assured him and then moved away to cover more ground.

Malcom had been trained for searches like this and he knew his quarry was injured but not incapacitated. A Navy SEAL was trained to operate under difficult circumstances and a leg wound would not hamper the Commander completely. The task force leader's biggest weakness was going to be the two kids he was forced to protect. A loud snap of a branch made him wish they had left Conrad's kid back at the Suburban, there was no way they'd surprise McGarrett with the noise the boy was making. Of course if McGarrett concentrated on Nelson's approach, he and Lon could outflank the SEAL and surprise him. With a hand signal when he caught Lon looking at him, the two men increased their pace, moving almost silently as the Marines had trained them.

Lon was the first to spot the grouping of trees that was most likely their quarry's hiding place. He caught Malcom's attention and indicated he was going wide left and would come in from the side.

*H 5-0*

The tension was building as Steve listened for any sound to indicate where their hunters were located. His was forced to take a few deep breaths to calm down his heartrate. Glancing back at the kids, he debated sending them towards the Observatory but rejected the idea almost as fast as he thought of it. He couldn't send them away unprotected and he didn't know how many were in the forest around them. They would have to make a stand here for better or worse.

"Nahele, you and Mahina should come here. I need you to watch my back," Steve said quietly. "Watch the sides and back, I'll keep watching the area we came from. They may have spread out."

Nahele nudged Mahina to move and they crept closer to Steve. Mahina's side ached as she moved forward to huddle against a rock on the Commander's left side. Nahele sat next to her, his back to another rock and began to scan the area to their right.

"Watch that area to the left," he whispered in Mahina's ear. "If you see movement, let me or Steve know."

"Okay," the girl murmured fearfully.

Sitting pressed together, Nahele could feel that her trembling hadn't stopped so he took her right hand in his left and gently squeezed. She gave him a weak smile and then turned her attention to the brush off to the left.

A rustle of branches had Steve looking back towards the road. There was a flash of light blue that could be seen through the trees and McGarrett raised up higher and aimed his weapon in that direction.

*H 5-0*

Approaching the area that Nahele had stated the crash had occurred, Danny could see a vehicle parked on the right side of the road. In the distance the flashing lights of a squad car could be seen coming from the direction of Waimanalo Beach.

"So now there is some backup coming," he muttered as he parked behind the SUV.

"Better late than never," Lou said as he lifted his large frame out of the Camaro.

Chin parked his Mustang behind the Camaro and everyone hurriedly donned their TAC vests and grabbed weapons.

"At least there's only one vehicle, not likely to be more than seven people," Chin said stating the usual passenger capacity of the Suburban.

"Those are lousy odds for an injured Steve with two kids to protect," Danny said sourly.

"Then let's improve the odds," Lou said heading for the ditch where the Silverado rested.

"I'll have one of the officers watch the Suburban," Kono announced and hurried to the squad car that parked on the other side of the highway. After instructing the younger officer to keep an eye on the Suburban and to call in the plates and VIN number, Kono and the senior partner headed into the woods after the three men. They spread out but hadn't gotten very far when the sound of gunfire reached them. With weapons held ready they all hurried forward.

*H 5-0*

Nelson's nerves had not settled down as much as he wished. He had seen the direction Malcom had headed and he could see the grouping of trees that likely hid McGarrett and the kids. The thought of facing off against a Navy SEAL had Nelson's stomach in knots.

Pausing behind a small tree, Nelson saw a head rise up from the rocks at the base of the trees. Raising his own rifle, Nelson aimed at the head, his finger resting on the trigger. Having never fired this automatic weapon, the young man was unaware how sensitive the trigger was and was taken by surprise when the rifle sent out a spray of bullets that raked the ground, rocks and trees before he could stop.

The fact that Nelson was unfamiliar with his weapon saved McGarrett's life as the wild shooting sent bark and stone chips flying but didn't hit him. The flying debris sent one rock chip cutting across Nahele's forehead as he turned to see if Steve was okay. He pressed one hand against the cut and leaned over Mahina further to protect her.

Steve rose again and fired in the direction he had seen the blue flash of clothing. Those shots emptied his clip and he was rewarded with a cry of pain that came from that direction. Ejecting the empty clip, he grabbed his spare from his pants pocket and slammed it into place in his Sig.

Keeping his hand on the stinging cut on his forehead, Nahele didn't abandon his job of watching the brush. He blinked twice when he saw what looked like a dark figure moving off to his left.

"Steve…..off to the left, behind you," he warned in a low voice as a second spray of bullets came from where the first burst had come. Steve slid down lower and swung in the direction that Nahele had indicated. He quickly saw the same movement that had alerted the boy. Lon had sidestepped into a clearer area to get a better shot at McGarrett. The man didn't count on his target being faster as Steve pumped three shots into his chest. With a strangled cry, Lon fell forward, his rifle flying out of his hands to land a couple of yards from Steve and the teens.

"Should I get that?" Nahele asked.

"No, stay put," Steve instructed and swung back to the threat that had fired on them twice. "Keep watch, we know there's more than one."

Mahina let out a small whimper and hugged her knees, trying to present as small a target as possible. She rested her forehead on her knees.

"Can you see anyone? Should we try to run?" Nahele asked. He had seen Steve change clips and knew that McGarrett's supply was limited. He didn't have to be a cop to know that those rifles had more bullets than Steve's handgun.

"We'll be okay. Help is coming," Steve assured him. "Just keep watch."

"Okay," Nahele said and continued to stare into the brush, concentrating on the area where the dead guy had come from. He kept one hand on Mahina's shoulder to reassure her. In response the girl raised her head and also watched the surrounding brush to help Nahele out.

More bullets came from the original location but just a short burst and McGarrett sent some more fire in that direction where he saw movement. He slid back down and eyes the area behind where the body lay. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he sensed there was danger lurking somewhere in that direction. He took several deep breaths and tried to slow his heartbeat, listening for any sound in that direction. He was aware that his clip was getting low and that there were at very least two more men out there gunning for them. If they were going to stand a chance then he would have to go after that rifle that lay so temptingly close.

"Stay put, I'm going to get that gun," Steve said quietly as he rose to a low crouch. The muscles in his right thigh screamed in protest at the movement but he ignored it and carefully moved forward.

Nahele sat there nervously, not sure if he even dared to breath. He didn't know how he would protect Mahina if something happened to Steve. He stared into the brush, hoping he could warn Steve if someone came after them.

Steve almost made it to the rifle. A shout from Nahele warned him at the same moment McGarrett noticed a shadow move in the brush a few feet behind the body. He dove towards the rifle as a bullet flew past his ear and as he hit the ground on his belly, firing in return. Several more shots rang out a moment later and a burning pain buried in his left shoulder as he rolled behind a narrow tree trunk. He fired the last of his clip into the woods and silence fell around him. He ignored the fire in his shoulder and reached for the rifle with his right hand. He had to get that weapon, he could not leave the kids behind him vulnerable. In the distance the sound of sirens grew louder as he finally felt the metal of the rifle barrel and he closed his fingers around it. Grabbing it, he pulled it to him and rolled back towards the pair of teens, bringing the weapon into a position where he could fight back. Breathing heavily, he prepared to make a stand.

End chapter.

 **Will help get there in time or will Malcom pick them off one by one? Thank you for reading. I'd love to hear your thoughts.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Runaway Witness XI**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. That is right, it is still not mine…darn it.**

 **I really appreciate all the feedback I have received. You have no idea how much your comments keep the story ideas flowing.**

Chapter 11

Hearing his son cry out as bullets tore through the brush nearby, had Conrad racing to his son's side to check on him. The young man sat on the ground clutching his upper left arm, blood seeping between his fingers. His eyes were closed as a few tears leaked out and ran down his cheeks.

"Nelson, how badly are you hurt?" Conrad asked in concern as he dropped to his knees beside his boy. With determination he tried to pry the young man's fingers from around his arm.

"It hurts Dad. I screwed up again, didn't I?" Nelson gasped as he opened his eyes.

"You'll be okay," Conrad assured him, looking at the wound. "We've got to get out of here, I hear sirens coming. We need to get the Suburban and disappear."

"What about McGarrett and the girl?" Nelson asked. "And what about Malcom and Lon?"

"Malcom and Lon can handle McGarrett. We can't be found here. Mal will deal with it and we will text him a pick up spot." Conrad paused and rose up to fire at the position that McGarrett was hiding. He crouched down to his son once more. "Come on son, we need to get you to safety," he added and reached over to help his son to his feet. "We won't leave them behind but we need to move now."

He leaned over to pick up Nelson's rifle and heard several shots fired from the grouping of trees. He and Nelson exchanged looks and then Conrad brought up his weapon and fired a short burst in that direction, hoping to aid whoever had been fired on moments ago. Then he turned to his son and pushed him in the direction of the highway.

"Come on Nelson….move," he hissed as he slung his own weapon over his shoulder and held his son's rifle. They headed parallel to the highway for a while to make sure they avoided anyone coming to search from that direction. Once they were further from the confrontation they turned in towards 72. Nelson gritted his teeth and did as his father told him, relieved that they were not going to be dodging bullets anymore. As they travelled through the brush, they heard other shots being fired but did not turn back to discover who had the advantage in the exchange of gunfire.

*H 5-0*

Malcom smiled in satisfaction as his bullet buried into McGarrett's shoulder. He knew that as he hid behind a thick tree, McGarrett had emptied his clip, shooting around him. Now he could plan to make the Commander suffer, shot by shot before he died. That thought stoked Malcom's ego, fed by his desire to make a Navy SEAL suffer for killing his friend. He moved quietly through the brush, looking to get a better angle on the trio in the semi-circle of trees. As he moved, he contemplated just where he'd place the next bullet in his target's body.

"Steve?" Nahele asked anxiously as he stared at McGarrett's back. He didn't know where to hide to protect Mahina. Steve's bloody shoulder had Nahele's heart beating faster…..how much could the man take before he collapsed?

"I'm okay, stay behind me," Steve ordered as he concentrated on the undergrowth from his knees. His right leg throbbed unmercifully but he ignored it as he tried to see where the enemy was moving. He knew the shooter wasn't done yet.

Malcom had slowly worked his way back toward the cleared area where Lon's body lay. He had seen the three shots that McGarrett had drilled into his friend from his earlier position and knew that Lon had not survived the shooting. Damn the SEAL was a quick and deadly shot. Mal knew he couldn't take anything for granted as he played this man. Having heard a cry from Conrad and Nelson's position earlier, he figured that one of them had been hit and he couldn't count on them to back him up. The sirens from the highway also told him that he had limited time to complete his mission and get out of the area safely. He was pretty sure that Conrad would run and leave him behind which was a loose end he would have to address later.

Looking at his friend and employee's body, Malcom did a mental check list as to any criminal related items Lon might have on his body. Fortunately Lon had not been issued a burner phone and Malcom was his only contact on his personal phone. As he was Lon's employer, he knew he could explain that easily when he would be questioned by the cops. He was pretty sure that Lon had nothing at his apartment that would connect him to their bombing plans.

Raising his weapon, Mal aimed at McGarrett's good leg, preparing to cripple the task force leader further when a rock sailed past his head. He raised his gaze in surprise, seeing the teenage boy who had sent the rock in his direction. There was no way to be sure the boy had actually seen him or just managed a lucky throw.

Steve had swung around on instinct to look where Nahele had heaved the rock and aimed at a motion he saw among the brush. He fired the rifle in a sweeping arc, hoping to hit a brief flash of movement that caught his eye. When there was no response to his gunfire, he rose to his feet, contemplating plunging into the brush to pursue the shooter but hesitated as he remembered the two teens huddled behind him. The sirens told him that help was close, he needed to remain with the kids.

"Nahele, Mahina, we have to move," he said quickly. Keeping his eyes on the area that he had seen the movement, Steve began to backup as the teenagers did the same. Nahele kept one arm around Mahina as they moved backward and around the grouping of trees.

Malcom had been able to avoid the spray of bullets that McGarrett had sent his way. Swearing under his breath, Mal moved from tree to tree, paralleling McGarrett's retreat. He knew that time was short and he had to make a move. Sounds of the cops could be heard approaching, they made no attempt to hide their progress. The desire to put one more bullet into the Commander was so strong that Malcom couldn't bring himself to run just yet. A head shot…that was all he needed. Just one bullet in McGarrett's brain would be so satisfying, it would be the perfect ending.

Bending low, he moved through the brush, trying to outflank McGarrett and his charges. The fact that it was getting darker this deep among the trees and made a good shot more difficult didn't dissuade him. When he felt he was far enough ahead, Malcom leaned against a thick tree trunk and prepared to take his shot. All he needed was one good look at the man and he knew he could take him out.

Timing is everything in life, it can put you in a boatload of trouble or it can save your life. As Nahele led Mahina out of their copse of trees with Steve limping backwards, attempting to protect them, the girl tripped over a large tree root, crying out in surprise. She fell to her knees, dragging Nahele downward with her as she felt pain race up her side. Whimpering softly she clutched her side and sunk back on her heels. Steve turned to see what had happened, leaning over to get a good look at Mahina and missed taking a bullet to the head. As it buried in a tree trunk behind the group, Steve whirled back around and returned fire with a short burst.

Shouts rang out and the sound of crashing brush came from the direction of the road. Steve could hear his name called and knew 5-0 and backup finally had arrived. Malcom could also hear the cops approaching and decided it was time to cut his losses and get out of there. He had felt his phone vibrate with an incoming text and figured Conrad was actually alerting him as to what he and Nelson were up to. Hoping it was a way out of this mess, he retreated further into the undergrowth with every intention of finishing this at a later date.

*H 5-0*

After taking the long way around the searchers, Conrad and Nelson reached the highway to emerge from the woods behind two vehicles that were parked behind the Suburban. Conrad let out a low curse when he saw a young police officer leaning against the front grill of his SUV.

"What do we do now?" Nelson whispered. His arm was hurting and he bit his lip, trying not to cry in front of his father.

"I'll take care of this," Conrad answered and shoved Nelson's gun at him. "Keep watch, don't let anyone come up behind me," he hissed as they heard shots coming from back in the woods. The boy accepted the weapon and stared back into the trees, wondering if anyone would appear from there.

Conrad moved passed the Mustang and Camaro and couldn't help thinking how wasteful it was for the state of Hawaii to spend money on such impractical vehicles. Staying in a low crouch, he moved forward until he was near the rear of the Suburban and then rose up to take his shot. The young cop never sensed the danger as his life came to an end with a single shot to the head. Conrad moved forward swiftly and grabbed the cop's arms to drag the body over to the ditch.

"Come on Nelson, we have to get out of here," he called out as he moved around to the driver's side.

Nelson did as he was instructed, climbing into the passenger seat after taking one look at the body that lay face down in the ditch. It struck him that this was colder than Bruce's death, this guy wasn't doing anything but stand there, and he hadn't been a threat to their safety other than being a cop. He looked at his father through different eyes, having trouble reconciling his actions with the man he knew. Even knowing it was to secure their escape didn't take away some of the revulsion.

Buckling his seat belt and starting the engine, Conrad executed a U-turn and headed back towards Hawai'i Kai. Thinking ahead, Conrad knew the perfect place to meet up with Malcom and Lon.

"Text Malcom and tell him that he and Lon should head for the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail parking lot. We'll wait an hour unless the cops come snooping. If they do we'll text another pickup site," Conrad ordered.

Nelson did as he was instructed, hoping that he would get an immediate response but nothing happened.

"He's not answering. What if something happened to him? We heard shooting as we were leaving the woods," Nelson said nervously.

""We'll wait the hour if able. Malcom is smart, he isn't easy to kill," Conrad said confidently. "I'll tend to your arm while we wait. Don't worry about things, we're good."

The young man just nodded, he would trust his father, because he had no choice.

*H 5-0*

When there was no responding gunfire for several minutes, Steve finally realized enough to turn back to the two teenagers to see how they were. Nahele sat on the ground, holding Mahina against his side. The girl was paler than before and was trying desperately not to cry. Steve didn't miss the bright red stains on her yellow shirt that hadn't been there before, indicating that she must have pulled some stitches open. It would now be vital to get her back to the hospital.

Kneeling beside the pair, he gently touched her shoulder.

"Help is coming Mahina," he soothed. "We'll get you back to the hospital where they can take care of you."

"Thank you. Is it really over? I am sorry that I caused so much trouble," she mumbled softly. She looked at him and focused on the spreading stain on his left shoulder. "Oh, you're hurt some more. Your shoulder is bleeding."

"I'll be fine, don't worry," Steve assured her with a quick smile. "It's happened before."

Calls from his team were now clearer and Steve stood and waved his good arm.

"Over here," he called out, peering out in the fading light. Wincing, he reached up with his right hand to cover the wound in his left shoulder. The adrenalin was leaving his body and suddenly he was so weary and both wounds pulsated in pain. The rifle fell from his left hand and he swayed slightly as a rush of dizziness swept over him. His right leg began to fail in supporting him and he looked around for a place to sit down.

Danny and Chin were the first to arrive with Lou not far behind.

"Steve…are you okay? Oh hell…you're not," Danny said when he got a good look at him. The purple blood stained shirt wrapped around his thigh and the blood soaking his shoulder gave Danny the answer before Steve could say a word. "Sit down before you fall down," he added as he saw McGarrett sway.

"I'm fine. The shooter was over there…I don't know if I hit him," Steve said pointing to the last place he knew shots had come from. He stubbornly refused to sit.

"You got this one Boss," Kono spoke up as she stood up from bending over Lon's body. She had checked for a pulse but found none.

Chin headed in the direction that Steve had indicated and Kono hurried to back him up.

"I think he moved on if I didn't hit him. Danny, call for an ambulance, I think Mahina has pulled some of her stitches. She needs to get back to the hospital," Steve said tiredly.

"We have one coming but I will see what is keeping it," Danny said pulling out his phone. He watched his partner, who looked like a strong puff of wind would knock him off his feet. "They are on their way. And you will be riding back with the girl. You are bleeding in two places, you need the hospital too babe," he said as he saw the fatigue on McGarrett's face. "And so help me if you say you don't need a hospital I will drag your ass out of this jungle myself."

End chapter.

 **Help has arrived but it appears that the danger is over. But there are too many loose ends. We shall see what happens next. Thank you for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Runaway Witness XII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Sure wish I did but nope, that is not happening.**

 **Thank you all for the lovely reviews I have received on previous chapters. You have no idea how that keeps me glued to my notebooks.**

Chapter 12

"I….I think you may have a point," Steve admitted as a wave of dizziness hit him now that the adrenalin was fading away. He lowered himself onto a rock before he face-planted in front of everyone. This entire operation was supposed to have been easy, just pick up the kids and bring them back to town but had ended up in a gunfight in the woods. He looked at Nahele and Mahina huddled together and felt grateful to see they were relatively unharmed. He would have to chalk this up as a win given the circumstances and out of that they should get some leads.

"Where's the police officer that came with you?" Chin asked Kono, noticing that their fifth law enforcement officer wasn't around.

"We heard a gunshot from the road and she went back to see what happened," Kono replied. "Maybe I should head back to check on her. I'm pretty sure this guy got away."

"I agree. I'll help the others get McGarrett and the kids back to the road," Chin stated and went back to where the others waited while Kono hurried back to the highway.

"I called for the coroner as well," Danny announced as Chin entered the small clearing. "Let's get Steve and the kids back to the highway. Any luck Chin?"

"No, he's gone."

"Well then, it's time to leave," Lou said and bent down to scoop Mahina up in his arms.

"I can walk," Mahina protested.

"Now, now little girl, you are hurt and bleeding. I wouldn't let my daughter walk out of here and I won't let you. I promise I won't drop you," Lou assured her and began to head back.

Nahele grabbed Mahina's shoulder bag and hurried to keep up with Grover's long strides. Chin and Danny helped Steve to his feet and each took a side to support their leader as they headed through the brush for the road. Both men were aware that the further they went the more Steve depended on them to support him. Chin was on Steve's left side and tried not to aggravate McGarrett's wounded shoulder.

As they cleared the woods, Kono came rushing over to them.

"The Suburban is gone, they shot Officer Lee in the head and dumped him in the ditch," she said in anger. "I shouldn't have left him alone out here. Sargent Banks said he was only seven months out of the Academy."

"That wasn't your fault or Sargent Banks'," Chin said quickly. "No one thought that they would come back for the SUV. Not with a cop present."

"They're desperate. Lee was too green to be prepared for this crew, they gambled and won. We'll make sure they pay for it," Steve said, his voice filled with anger.

"We sure will," Lou rumbled in agreement as he stood nearby holding Mahina.

"You can put me down now," the girl said softly.

"Just relax, I don't want you pulling any more stitches. I don't mind holding you….you are light as a feather," Lou informed her with a smile. "We are going to have to put some meat on your bones."

"Don't argue Mahina, let Captain Grover take care of you," Nahele pleaded, not wanting her to make her side bleed further.

Mahina looked from her friend to McGarrett, the one man in authority that she was finally beginning to trust.

"Commander?" she asked softly.

"Lou's a good man Mahina. Just do as he says, we want you safe," Steve assured her gently.

Mahina relaxed and smiled up at Lou. The man had a kind face and she wanted to trust him. The sirens coming from the direction of Hawai'i Kai grew louder and Steve leaned against the Camaro as Danny was trying to press some gauze packs against McGarrett's shoulder wound.

"Danny, how did you beat the backup from either of these towns?" Steve asked quietly. "Did anyone say what the holdup was?"

"I don't know Steve but I suspect you're right about a leak in HPD. First these goons know where you followed the kids to and then my request for backup gets ignored. We need to dig into this, we can't have these creeps knowing our every move. Duke said he would look into it when Lou called and spoke to him but I have no idea how fast he can sort things out. Maybe our body back there will provide a lead," Danny answered.

"We will put a guard on Mahina's room no matter what. I think she is ready to stay put this time, she has promised to help," Steve responded. He smiled at Mahina who kept glancing over at him as if afraid he would vanish.

"Well of course she did. It was only a matter of time before she succumbed to the McGarrett hero spell," Danny smirked.

Steve shook his head and rolled his eyes at his partner.

"She is now aware of how serious the situation is. We need to look into that foster family she was with, something was very wrong there. I won't let the system put her back in a bad situation," Steve asserted firmly.

"As I said, you are her hero," Danny chuckled. "Just accept the role and go with it." He sobered slightly as he looked at Nahele standing next to Lou, holding the girl's hand and attempting to soothe her. "I also think you have a budding romance on your hands to deal with."

"And why is that my business?" Steve asked. "I'm just his friend."

"Now that is where you are mistaken my friend. You are much more than a friend to that boy. You are his role model and a pretty darn good one at that," Williams said seriously.

Steve was spared from answering as the ambulance pulled to a stop where the Suburban had once been parked. Two more squad cars arrived along with the ME's van. In short order a crew went into the woods to retrieve the body with Kono leading the way. The EMTs went to work on Mahina and Steve, making sure they had IVs and bandaging their wounds. When it was stated they would be taken to the hospital in Hawai'i Kai, McGarrett overruled them and insisted they go directly to Queens. Since neither patient was in critical condition and since they were dealing with the head of the Governor's task force, the EMTs gave in and did as Steve ordered. Danny offered Nahele a ride back to Honolulu and while Lou suggested that he stay behind, Chin assured him that he and Kono could handle the crime scene. They suggested that Danny and Lou make sure that things were handled at the hospital and to put a protection force on Mahina and Steve. The Camaro then followed the ambulance back to Honolulu.

*H 5-0*

The parking lot at the trail head was empty when Conrad pulled in and parked the Suburban off to a secluded side, out of sight of the highway. The sun was finally slipping below the horizon and the colorful sunset glow was dissipating rapidly.

Conrad dug out the vehicle's basic first aid kit and wrapped a strip of gauze over a pad soaked in antiseptic liquid. He had hesitated to turn on the interior light but finally risked it so he could see what he was doing.

"What if Lon and Malcom are dead?" Nelson asked nervously. "We heard of lot of shooting and he hasn't texted back."

"We wait an hour unless the cops show up," Conrad replied turning off the light after taping the gauze securely. "All that shooting could mean that McGarrett and the kids are dead."

Nelson shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked over at his father who now held a handgun and was watching the trail entrance in the almost dark conditions.

"I'm sorry Dad…I guess I screwed up again," he mumbled.

Conrad looked at his son and sighed. Perhaps Nelson wasn't suited to this plan. He had been furious that McGarrett had shot his son, it only added to the reasons he wanted the Commander dead.

"Did you have a target?" he asked the boy.

"I saw his head. I misjudged the trigger's sensitivity," Nelson tried to explain. "I should have known better. I am sorry."

"And we should have practiced, so that is my fault. If you saw a target then you needed to take the shot," Conrad finally said. He knew Malcom would be angry but he didn't care, Nelson was his only child, Conrad would forgive him his mistakes. Seeing his son's bloody arm only brought back memories of Tommy dying in a pool of his own blood. Conrad would not let that happen this time and shook his head at the irony that both times a McGarrett was at fault.

They sat until the hour was up and as Conrad reached for the key to turn the engine over he heard a crunch on the gravel nearby. Aiming his handgun out the open window, he noticed a shadow breaking away from the rest of the blackness.

"Put the gun down Conrad," Malcom hissed.

"Sorry," Brickman said hastily. "You startled me man. Where's Lon?"

"He's dead."

"Damn," Conrad swore. "So 5-0 has his body? How compromised are we?"

"You have no connection to Lon so relax," Malcom snapped as he got in the backseat.

"A connection to you is ultimately a connection to me," Conrad reminded him. "So let's get out of here before the cops start checking parking lots."

"No," Malcom said sharply. "I've already called Keawe to come get us. When you get home you will call the cops and report this vehicle stolen. Then you make sure that the kid gets out of town," the black man instructed angrily.

"Hey, slow down, we didn't kill Lon. The plates on this SUV are stolen, they won't connect it to me," Conrad said once more reaching for the key. He felt a gun barrel press to the back of his neck.

"Just how stupid are you Conrad? Do you really think that the VIN number on this vehicle wasn't called in? You need to wipe this vehicle down to remove all prints and report it stolen. You have no clue how to stay off the cop's radar, do you?" Malcom said harshly. "It is time to cover your ass buddy. Nelson, make yourself useful and start wiping this vehicle down."

The young man did as he was told, finding a towel in the back of the vehicle. He went to work, hoping to prove he was capable of doing what he was told. Malcom watched briefly and then removed the gun from Conrad's neck.

"Get out, we have to empty everything out of the back. We can't leave anything behind," he ordered.

"I won't tolerate this Malcom. You aren't the one calling the shots here….." Conrad protested.

"I do now. Your boy bungled this operation and I lost a friend because of it. So now that my ass is on the line, I'm taking over," Jamar growled as he exited the vehicle. Conrad followed suit.

Drawing himself up to his full height and still holding his weapon, Conrad met Malcom eye to eye in the light of the SUV's interior lamp.

"Is McGarrett dead?"

"No, I hit him in the shoulder but 5-0 showed up before I could finish the job. The damn bastard is lucky, I almost got him. I won't miss the next one," Malcom swore.

"I want McGarrett."

"Get in line Connie…McGarrett only winged your boy…..he'll live. I've lost a very loyal, good friend and will have to deny that when 5-0 comes questioning. So my claim is stronger than yours, deal with it," Malcom said coldly.

"But…."

"No buts, I owe the Commander a head shot," Malcom cut him off, not bothering to explain the comment.

Conrad ceased the argument, there was no point and if he was truthful, he was losing his courage when dealing with Malcom. The power in the group dynamic was shifting away from him and now falling to the one person who had been his right hand man. It was unsettling but he wasn't about to try and settle this at the moment.

It was a while when Keawe pulled into the parking lot with his personal van and they quickly loaded the weapons and other items into it. With a final wipe down of what was touched, they abandoned the Suburban and headed back to Honolulu.

*H 5-0*

Danny paced the waiting room of the ER as Nahele and Grover sat and watched him. The two exchanged looks and Grover shook his head.

"Danny, this isn't life or death. Please sit down before you drive us all crazy," the big man finally commented. "Steve is going to be fine."

"I know that Lou. But our bomb builders are still out there, on the loose. We don't even know how many there are. At best we have eliminated one," Danny responded as he halted in front of Grover. "The clock is still ticking and someone is feeding them information on our every move. We almost lost Steve and we are still at square one. Pardon me for feeling a bit anxious."

End chapter.

 **So, are we back at square one? Thank you very much for reading.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Runaway Witness XIII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. And that's the truth.**

 **Thank you everyone for still hanging in here with me. I will try to stick with my Monday postings but now that our camper is open for the season the posting dates will vary. I will try to make sure it is still on a weekly basis.**

Chapter 13

"Mahina has promised she will help," Nahele spoke up, his eyes darting between the two men. "If she said it then she'll do it. She keeps her promises."

"I'm sure she does Nahele. We just don't know how fast this group will retaliate now that we have inflicted some damage," Danny explained. "I'm worried this will snowball now that they've openly come after Mahina."

"I'm sure that little girl means well son but we've got big trouble if she has no clue when the bombs were to go off. If she really doesn't know all that much then this will become more dangerous," Lou added. "Steve's going to be slowed down with his injuries, the pressure is only going to increase the longer these guys are in the wind."

Danny snorted at Lou's choice of words about Steve slowing down. He almost commented on Steve slowing down for anything but the sight of a familiar doctor approaching silenced him. Danny recognized Dr. Kawena Pookalani, a friend of Chin's who worked in the ER. She was smiling as she stopped in front of the trio.

"Commander McGarrett will be fine. We cleaned and stitched the deep graze on his thigh and removed the bullet from his shoulder. He's lucky, the bullet entered his shoulder at an angle that wasn't deep and didn't hit the collarbone. The Commander will be very sore and will need a crutch for a while but he should recover completely. We'll keep him overnight to watch for infection but he should be able to be released in the morning if the night goes well," she reported. "I'd suggest he take it easy but knowing the Commander, I doubt he'll follow that order."

"Yea…good luck with that," Danny chuckled, feeling much better after hearing the doctor's report. "I am surprised you were able to convince him to stay the night."

"The Commander suggested it," Dr. Pookalani informed him.

Both Danny and Lou looked at her in surprise. The woman smiled, knowing this news was not what they expected given the Commander's past behavior.

"We are putting him in the room next to the young lady that came in with him," she added.

Her statement suddenly explained Steve's decision to the men. Of course Steve would stay as extra security for Mahina. Even with a guard on her door, he would want her to know he was nearby.

"Thanks for the good news Doc," Danny said in relief. Not only was he saved from arguing with Steve about staying in the hospital but Mahina would feel better as well. Nahele sank back in his seat, happy to have his faith in Steve secured. He knew that his friend was keeping his promises.

"Can we talk to McGarrett soon?" Lou asked.

"Of course. Dr. Carver has said that Mahina has asked about her friend. She's going to be fine by the way." She looked at the teenager. "It will be okay for you to go up and see her very soon."

"Thank you Doctor," Nahele said rising to his feet.

Dr. Pookalani looked closer at the dried blood on his forehead.

"You were hurt, has anyone looked at this wound?" she asked stepping closer to peer at him.

"It's just a scratch from a rock shard," Nahele protested as he reached up to touch the dried blood. "I'm fine, I just want to see Mahina."

"Just who does he sound like?" Danny said quietly to Lou. "I think Steve has become too big of an influence."

"It should be soon, when they are settled in their rooms a nurse will tell you," Kawena said with a smile. "I am going to send a nurse out to see if she can clean that scratch up for you before you go up. She will also tell what rooms they are in."

True to her word, a nurse came out ten minutes later, cleaned the scratch and placed a bandage over it then gave them the room numbers that Steve and Mahina were occupying.

Once they reached the floor they could already see the guard was in place. Rooms on the hallway were set up in pairs where two doors were side by side. The officer could sit at one of the desks outside the door and watch both. Nahele disappeared into the room that the man said was Mahina's after Danny said they would stop by after talking to Steve. They would get Steve's version of what went down first so they could compare it with what Nahele had told them on the ride back to Honolulu. Without knocking they entered McGarrett's room.

How are you doing Steven?" Danny enquired as they found Steve sitting up in bed, left arm in a sling. The blanket was at his waist hiding the wide white bandage around his right thigh.

"I'll live," McGarrett grinned although he hated that once again he was forced to wear a hospital gown. He took some comfort that they let him keep his underwear, which preserved a small amount of his dignity. "I will appreciate a set of clean clothes tomorrow when they release me. Can you help me with that?"

"I believe that can be arranged," Danny nodded. "You are certain that you will be released?"

"I'm sure…just ask Dr. Pookalani," Steve said beginning to grow irritated.

"He's just yanking your chain McGarrett," Lou chuckled. "The good doctor told us that you should be released in the morning. Personally I do think that it is a good thing that you are spending the night to keep watch on that little girl next door."

"Mahina's frightened," Steve answered simply. "I promised her she would be safe. Have you had any luck learning how they knew where the kids were?"

"Duke is checking on it to see if there is anyone at HPD with loose lips," Danny said grimly. "We haven't heard from him yet. It had to be someone on shift in the precinct that heard me call in for backup. That should limit it to someone in dispatch. I don't remember the person I spoke to identifying themselves."

"That mole is the key to this group," Steve insisted.

"It's being looked into Steve. We also have a dead body that can give us some clues as well," Lou pointed out. "We have clues to work with finally and some of them are going to pan out. You were right, they have started to make mistakes, and we will get them."

"I think I may have winged another of them. I heard a cry when the first burst of gunfire was exchanged. So you need to check all hospitals, clinics and doctor's offices to see if anyone comes in for treatment," Steve said.

"We will do that…if they bother to go to a doctor," Danny assured him. "I'm betting any injuries will be handled in house with this group. They know they can't risk having a doctor report a wound like that."

"That depends on how badly the person was hurt. But you are right, they are making mistakes," Steve agreed. "We have to keep pursuing every connection until we get our answers."

Danny and Lou exchanged looks. Danny moved over to the bedside chair while Lou perched on the wide windowsill.

"Talk us through this afternoon babe. Nahele told us his version but he was frightened. Tell us what you remember," Danny urged.

McGarrett nodded, knowing he was likely to be the best witness to explain the events of the day. He paused a moment to gather his thoughts.

"I found the kids at the bus stop in Hawai'i Kai. Nahele actually called me before he knew I was there and he broke the news to Mahina that I had followed them," Steve said proudly. "She did agree to return to Honolulu and as we headed for the truck, a black Suburban drove past and fired on us. We ran to the truck and they made a second pass but most of their shots missed other than the one that hit my leg. I think that was their plan, they wanted us out of the town and I obliged them," Steve said in disgust.

"Did you have any other choice?" Lou asked.

"I suppose not," Steve admitted reluctantly. "But I put the kids at risk."

"You saved their lives. Would you have preferred a shootout in Hawai'i Kai?" Danny questioned. "How did you manage to crash the truck?"

"I think I ran over something sharp. The tire blew and I lost control of it. If that hadn't happened I think I could have out run them…..they weren't gaining on us. Once we were in the ditch, I knew we had to head into the woods and look for someplace I could defend until help arrived. The first burst of fire came from the direction of the road and I responded. That is when I heard the cry of pain. There was a second round from that direction and then Nahele spotted someone moving in from the left. I took out that perp, ending up emptying my clip and I only had one extra. I used up the second clip responding to more fire from the first position and then when a second man came from the direction of the dead man. He was able to shoot me in the shoulder and I was lucky enough to get the AK-47 the first man dropped and protect the kids from the second man just as you showed up," Steve told them as concisely as he could.

"Sounds pretty much what Nahele told us," Lou said. "However he seemed to think you went above and beyond, stepping into superhero territory."

"He was just scared. I only did what was needed," Steve replied.

"Hero complex," Danny muttered and Steve shot him a puzzled look.

"Danny and I were reflecting earlier on how you can't resist playing hero," Lou explained with a grin. "And I respect the hell out of you because of it," he added soberly.

Steve shook his head.

"I did what was needed…the same as either of you would. We need an ID on the guy I killed and discover who owns that SUV. Tomorrow have Kono come and go through that notebook with Mahina. I think the girl just needs to have her memory jogged," Steve suggested.

"We'll take care of it," Danny promised. "Kono and Chin are dealing with the crime scene. You get some rest tonight. I'll come by in the morning with some clothes."

"Could you also clear it with the staff so that Nahele can spend the night if that is what he wants? I want Mahina to feel safe and I think Nahele would like to be here. Then I will need to check with CPS to find out what I can on that foster home and the family by the name of Hamilton. There is some reason she refuses to return there."

"I'll look into that for you," Lou told him. "That child doesn't need any more stress piled on her shoulders. I'll do some digging."

"Thanks Lou."

"So…about our bombers….do you think this little adventure will slow them down?" Danny asked going back to his biggest concern.

"I wish I knew," Steve sighed. "It depends on how strong their target is. If things are fluid, they might adjust their timing but if they have a hard target that will have them locked in to a specific time frame."

"Lovely….how do we determine what is what Steven?" Danny grumbled.

"We dig into the clues we have and prepare to move quickly. The Suburban and the body are two huge clues. It's more than we started with," Steve said.

"We just need to find it. We lost a good young cop tonight to the perps that took off in it," Lou said sourly.

"The description has gone out to all patrol units. I'm betting they abandon it somewhere before too long," Danny said confidently. "What we really need is a clue that can talk."

"We work with what we have," Steve said. "Do we have a name for the guy I shot?"

"Kono called and said his wallet said he is Lon Keller. He worked for a company called Jamar Security and lived in Pearl City. She is going to dig further if he has any family once she is back at headquarters," Danny filled him in.

"Good…..good. Then we can cross reference his contacts with Bruce Martin's to find a connection. Somewhere there has to be a lead," Steve said trying to stifle a yawn. He lay back against the pillows, trying to shut out the aches in his body. The medications had dulled the more intense pain but his body was screaming for rest.

"We need to get moving, we will stop and talk to Mahina before we go," Lou spoke up, recognizing how wiped out McGarrett looked.

"Thanks, I think I could use some sleep," Steve admitted, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"We'll make sure Nahele can stay if he wants," Danny added. "See you in the morning partner."

"Night Danny," McGarrett waved as his eyes closed.

Leaving their leader, they stopped next door but discovered that Mahina was sound asleep. They assured Nahele he could stay and then went to make sure that the staff would allow it. Flashing the 5-0 badge got major cooperation from the nursing staff.

As they walked out of the hospital into the cool of the night, Danny paused on the sidewalk and massaged the back of his neck.

"So….home or headquarters?" he asked.

"Headquarters," Lou sighed.

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. The muse and I really do love to hear your thoughts.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Runaway Witness XIV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Enough said.**

 **This chapter is posting later than usual because of the Memorial Day weekend which was a long one for me. I do hope you find it worth the wait. Thank you.**

Chapter 14

Keawe Akina backed his van into the fenced-in backyard at Conrad Brickman's house until he was near the unit that held the stolen weapons. Malcom grabbed Nelson by his uninjured arm as he exited the van and propelled him toward the back door of the home.

"I'll check that wound out and patch you up, then you can get your ass out of town," Malcom growled. "You have no way to explain that wound and we need to remove as many links to Lon as we can. Your dad and I are friends and now we will have to do some fancy talking to keep 5-0 off our backs."

"I'm sorry. I had a head shot. The trigger was touchy," Nelson mumbled. He didn't notice that Malcom flinched when he said the words…..head shot. Nelson bit his tongue rather than protest how tightly Jamar gripped his good arm. The anger radiating off Mal scared him.

"Lame excuse kid," Malcom muttered darkly. "We should have left you home."

"I didn't get Lon shot. McGarrett knew we were following him, I didn't give away Lon's position," Nelson said in a burst of righteous indignation. The attitude Malcom was projecting was scary but also irritating. He was tired of how Mal had treated him and his dad since showing up in the trail parking lot.

Jamar didn't answer but motioned to the back door, indicating he wanted him to unlock it. Nelson dis as directed and they went inside.

Keawe and Conrad unloaded the back of the van and then Conrad secured the building. Keawe looked at his friend in concern, knowing Malcom was pissed on the ride back to the city.

"Just what went down out there Conrad?" he asked quietly. "You didn't get the girl or McGarrett and Lon ended up dead?"

"That's right. The damn Commander is good, he took Lon by surprise. Malcom couldn't pull off the kill shot and he blames me and Nelson. The boy did jump the gun a bit but he had nothing to do with Lon getting taken out by McGarrett. If Nelson's shot had hit home we'd all be celebrating right now," Conrad said bitterly. "Now he says he is calling the shots. He wants McGarrett and I should follow his orders."

Keawe thought about it and shrugged.

"Maybe you should let go of the McGarrett thing and let him do it. If he can remove the man it is a win for both of you. You can concentrated on our main mission because Makenna's rally is next week. We need those bombs ready the day before so he can use it for his rally's focus. Let's keep our attention what started this Conrad, don't let Malcom distract you."

Conrad nodded as he looked back at the house. He worried about Nelson being alone with Jamar.

"You are right, I understand what is driving him but I don't like how he is trying to take over. I wanted McGarrett taken out at the bus stop. It was his idea to only wound the man and chase him into the woods. No one would have known why McGarrett was shot…the man has enemies, so we wouldn't have been suspected," Conrad complained. "Now Mal thinks he has all the answers."

"We don't need a power struggle right now. Getting Makenna elected is our main mission and I will remind Malcom of that," Keawe said sharply. "Just get over your hurt feelings. It will be cool."

"Fine but remember that it was his idea to only wound McGarrett and not kill him. Now we still have to deal with the man when we could have him out of the way," Conrad grumbled.

"Let it go man…..it isn't worth it. We just need to move on," Keawe stressed.

Brickman considered arguing further but the glow from his kitchen windows reminded him that his son still had a bullet in his arm and he needed to be there for him. He hurried toward the back door as Keawe moved his van back onto the driveway.

Inside the two men found Malcom just finishing up cleaning the wound to Nelson's arm. As Malcom began binding up the wound, Nelson tried very hard to hide his tears. Bloody gauze lay on the table. Malcom looked at Conrad smugly.

"Ah…..Connie, glad you're here. The wound was a through and through, he'll survive. This is what your next move will be," he said firmly. "Nelson needs to leave town. He says he's got a girlfriend up near Sunset Beach. We can't have him here if the cops come knocking after they identify your Suburban. You need to report the theft of that vehicle …say you were hunting boar on the other side of the island and just came home to find it missing. Make sure your bow and arrows are in your Jeep and wear some hunting clothes. You need to distance yourself from that truck," Malcom finished his instructions.

Conrad wanted to argue, wanted to remind him who was in charge but swallowed his protest when he saw the fear in his son's eyes. The fight drained out of him and he silently nodded.

"Good. Keawe, I need you to take me to my office. Nelson, get the hell out of here and convince that girl of yours to give you an alibi. Conrad, clean up this mess and then make sure you look like you just returned from a hunting trip," Malcom repeated his instructions. He got up and left the house with Keawe hurrying to keep up after giving Conrad a warning look.

Conrad went to his son and gripped his good shoulder and quietly assured him things would be okay. Then Nelson went to pack a bag and left while Conrad prepared for his call to the police to report a stolen vehicle.

*H 5-0*

It was nearing midnight when Danny finally suggested that everyone head home and get some rest. They had found all they could on Lon Keller at the moment and HPD had informed them that a report came in about a stolen Suburban that matched the description of the one used to attack McGarrett. They would have more information when the cop who went to take the report filed it in the morning. They were in the process of shutting things down when Duke Lukela walked in.

"Duke, your shift must have ended hours ago. Why are you here so late?" Chin asked when he saw the older man.

"I've been looking into who might be the leak in HPD. I had to check the log as to who was manning the phones today. I then checked with some, just asking general questions to see who might have handled Danny's call," Duke said tiredly.

"Did any name pop?" Lou asked.

"I have a name," Duke nodded. "No solid proof but Officer Todd Sparks was very interested in the girl's disappearance from the hospital. I didn't think anything of it at first but I was told he was hanging around the communication center around the time Danny's call came in. He did volunteer to cover when an officer needed to step away for a moment," he told them in disgust.

"Let's haul him in and grill him," Kono said, her eyes sparking with anger.

"Hold that thought," Danny commanded. A smile touched his lips as a plan came to him. He looked at Lou and Chin, seeing the same idea had come to them by the expressions on their faces. "We may be able to use this mole to our advantage to smoke our bombers out."

"But he could give us names. The sooner we know the better," Kono continued to press her point. She still wanted to get the guys who went after Steve and the kids.

"True Cuz but we don't know how many names that man knows. But through him we may be able to set up a trap," Chin pointed out patiently. "And they are not likely to set those bombs off tomorrow or it wouldn't matter if Mahina had talked to us. They have a time frame they are working with."

"And if we have the proper bait, this guy will give us a way to bring them to us," Danny said with a gleam in his eye.

"But what if they still go after Mahina?" she questioned.

"She's being protected, Danny assured her. "She won't be harmed. Since Steve wants you to talk to her tomorrow and go through those scribbles in her notebook you will be with her. She is not likely to run again."

"Not with Nahele camped out in her room," Lou chuckled. "That boy is quite taken with our young witness."

Kono tried to look shocked at Lou's comment but couldn't hide a smile. Both Chin and Danny grinned along with Lou. Seeing Duke's confusion, Chin sobered slightly.

"Can you keep an eye on Sparks for us? We'll ask Steve tomorrow what he wants to do about him. Can you keep him from knowing he's under suspicion?" he asked.

"I can do that. I'll see if I can arrange for him to have some busy work for him," Duke said with pleasure. "Good night."

When he left, Lou looked around at the others.

"Well, I'm ready to head home. I figure that I should make sure Renee has not changed the locks on me. Danny, you're getting Steve's clothes tomorrow, right?"

"Yes I will," Williams confirmed.

"Then I will see you all in the morning," Lou replied and headed out.

*H 5-0*

Steve found himself snapping out of sleep suddenly at the sound of the door to his room opening. Expecting to see the nurse he was surprised to make out the figure of Nahele standing in the dim light of the hallway.

"Nahele….is everything okay?" he asked, pressing the button to bring the lights of the room up a bit. The boy came forward nodding as the door closed behind him.

"I'm sorry Steve…I really didn't want to wake you," the boy said hesitantly. "I…..uh….I just wanted ….uh…to check…." Nahele couldn't meet Steve's eyes. He moved forward towards the bed.

"Is Mahina all right?" Steve asked as he raised the head of his bed.

"She's sleeping, she's okay," Nahele replied as he reached the side of the bed and gripped the bed rail.

McGarrett smiled slightly, thinking he might know what brought the boy to his room.

"Those recliners aren't the most comfortable beds, are they?" he said lightly. "Having trouble sleeping?"

"Yea," Nahele nodded quickly. "I couldn't sleep….uh, it, I had things on my mind."

"I'm not surprised," McGarrett said quietly. "You had a rough day. Everyone is okay though….it is all right. You were very brave and I promise you and Mahina are safe now." He lightly covered one of Nahele's hands with his right one. "Thanks for checking on me."

A look of relief spread over the teenager's face. He appreciated Steve offering him a way to save face and not admit a nightmare had driven him to Steve's room for reassurance. Waking in an unfamiliar hospital room had unsettled him and the memory of the day's events mingled with a nightmare of blood and death had only heightened his discomfort. After assuring himself that Mahina was okay, he had felt it necessary to seek out Steve, to reassure himself that his dream wasn't true.

"I'll head back to Mahina's room. I'm sorry I woke you," he mumbled and withdrew his hands from the bed rail.

"It's okay Nahele, you can talk to me anytime," Steve said gently.

Nahele smiled, nodded and hurriedly left the room as McGarrett watched him go. A warm feeling washed over Steve, liking the bond that was developing between him and the boy. He was very proud of the way the boy had behaved through everything that happened that day. Steve completely understood Nahele having a bad dream, he had experienced them himself.

Steve lowered the head of the bed and lowered the lights once more. Shutting his eyes, he tried to fall back to sleep but found it difficult.

Worries about their task made his mind restless, trying to solve the puzzle of the bombers. What would they change now that Mahina still lived? Did they have a plan B? How many were there in this plot? And most of all, how much time did they have before this group made their move?

He rested his right forearm over his eyes and tried to shut down his mind and ignore the aches of his body. He could ring for the nurse and get additional pain medication but he didn't want to depend on them for help. Knowing he needed the rest, Steve fell back on tactics he had learned while preparing for a mission during his SEAL days. It had never been easy to fall asleep during those tense times so everyone developed ways to aid their bodies and minds to relax.

Within ten minutes Steve had fallen into a dreamless sleep. His body was desperate for some healing time so he could function the next day. He would need to be strong when they took on the still unknown group who were plotting to blow up parts of Oahu. There were now clues to follow so things were looking better. What Steve didn't know that might have kept him awake longer was that this group had two men who wanted him dead almost as much as they wanted to make their bombs explode.

End chapter.

 **Thank you so much for reading. The hunt for the bombers will now begin and we hope they are caught before they succeed in their mission.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Runaway Witness XV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I am hoping that writing this will make the summer hiatus go smoother.**

 **Hello, I thank all of you who have given me so many nice reviews.**

Chapter 15

Danny arrived at the hospital bright and early with a change of clothes for Steve. He was well aware that if the doctors gave McGarrett the green light, Steve would be chomping at the bit to get out of there. When he entered Steve's room, he found the man on the hospital provided phone.

"Thanks Chin, I'll be in as soon as Danny gets…oh, here he is now. See you soon," Steve said smiling at Danny and hanging up.

"Even without your cell you have to be checking in," Danny chuckled as he set the bag on the chair next to the bed. "Your truck has been hauled back to town so I'm sure the phone has been found and will be returned to headquarters soon. Have you been given your walking papers yet?"

"I have," Steve said indicating the paperwork sitting next to the phone on the tray table. "I was just waiting for you."

"Are you able to walk on that leg?" Danny enquired as he pointed to the wide bandage on McGarrett's thigh.

"It's not comfortable but I can manage," Steve acknowledged. "They've given me a crutch. Unfortunately with a bum shoulder I can only use one. At least I am not stuck in a wheelchair."

"So why is that parked there?" Danny asked pointing to a chair in the corner.

"I've been warned that they won't let me walk out of the building on my own. But the darn thing is not coming home with me," Steve said firmly as he slid off the bed and grabbed the bag off the chair. He awkwardly hopped to the bathroom to get dressed.

"Need any help?" Danny teased.

There was no reply from the bathroom.

"Did Chin tell you that Duke has a suspect that might be our mole in HPD? He's keeping an eye on him," Danny finally said as he moved closer to the door, hoping to get a response from McGarrett. "Can you hear me Steve, are you okay?" he added as the silence continued.

The door swung open and Steve leaned against the door frame, grinning at Danny.

"Yes I heard you and yes Chin told me your plan. I think your idea to use the mole to trap our bomber is solid. We just need to find the right bait, we'll only have one shot at this," he answered. He hobbled over to the bed where a crutch leaned against the foot of it. There was a sling lying on the end of the bed and he reached for it to try and get it over his head. Wincing in discomfort as he tried to do it one handed had him pause and glare at it.

"Here….let me help," Danny huffed and went to help rescue the sling before McGarrett flung it away. He helped him put it on. "Do you think we should use the girl as bait?"

"By now they should expect that Mahina has talked to us. Going after her won't protect their secrets. Maybe she can give us the target but even if she can't we could make it look like she did," Steve suggested. "It would be nice to know the motive behind this plan. From that we could figure things out. All we can do right now is guess. Kono is planning to talk to Mahina today, correct?"

"That's the plan," Danny confirmed. "We learned last night that a Suburban was reported stolen that matched the one that chased you. We should have that report and the VIN on it by the time we get to headquarters. Also we did learn a lot about our dead man last night, I'm sure Chin is still digging. Did you overhear anything between the shooters yesterday?"

"No….nothing," Steve said shaking his head. He reached for the nurse's call button wrapped around the bed rail. "They told me to ring for the nurse when I was ready to leave. I might as well follow protocol or they'll find a way to keep me here," he sighed pressing it.

Danny retrieved the bag from the bathroom, gathered up Steve's paperwork and shoved it in the bag and when the nurse entered the room, he helped his partner into the wheelchair. After she checked to see that Steve had his prescriptions and added them to the bag, the nurse took over the chair while Danny grabbed the crutch.

As they started to leave the room, Steve insisted they stop next door to check on Mahina and Nahele. The officer stationed outside the door opened the door to Mahina's room so that Steve could be wheeled inside. Mahina and Nahele were awake and sharing in a breakfast tray. The girl's face broke into a wide smile when she saw McGarrett.

"Are they letting you go Steve?" Nahele asked as he slid self-consciously off the edge of the bed and sat in the chair. The smile vanished from Mahina's face and she looked concerned.

"Yes, I'm leaving. I'm heading to headquarters to see if we can catch these guys before they do any more damage," Steve confirmed. He noticed Mahina's change in demeanor. "The guard will remain on the door until we have the bombers or until the hospital releases you Mahina. Then we will make sure you have somewhere safe to stay. Kono will come by soon and she wants to go over what you wrote in your notebook, we hope it will jog your memory. Anything that you can come up with will be a big help," he promised the girl.

"Thank you Commander," she replied softly. "I'll try my best."

"My name is Steve, we're friends Mahina, right?"

"Yes…..thank you Steve," she said shyly.

"You are very welcome," Steve said warmly. He looked at his nurse over his shoulder. "Okay Linda, get me out of here."

Linda laughed and backed the chair out of the room as Steve gave a small wave to the teens. When they finally reached the main floor, she wheeled him out the door and they waited while Danny went to get the Camaro. Glad to leave the wheelchair behind, Steve lowered himself into the passenger seat once Danny parked at the curb. He rested his head against the headrest and let out a sigh after shutting the door and for once was glad to be chauffeured to the office.

Chin and Lou were gathered around the computer table and looked up with smiles as they saw their leader crutching his way in.

"Good to see you up and about McGarrett," Lou rumbled. "You look a hell of a lot better than you did last night."

"Thanks, I feel a lot better," Steve answered. "So now bring me up to speed on Lon Keller."

"Lon Keller first moved to Oahu in 2009. He immediately started working for his buddy from the Marines, Malcom Jamar. Prior to his eight year stint in the Marines he grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. I've tried to contact Mr. Jamar but got his answering machine so I left a message that has not been returned yet," Chin told him. "He had no criminal record either here or in North Carolina. So far the Marines have been reluctant to discuss his service record but what I could find sent up no red flags."

"And what about the Suburban that was reported stolen? What do we know about that?" Steve asked.

"The plates that the owner gave us were not a match to the ones you saw on the vehicle but we knew those were stolen since those plates were registered to a pickup truck. The VIN number that Officer Lee called in before he was killed indicated that the vehicle was registered to a Conrad Brickman which just so happens to be the name of the man who reported a stolen Suburban late last night. We didn't get that report until just this morning because they were only looking for the correct license plates that Brickman gave him. When they checked further they discovered it was the same VIN number," Chin continued. "Once they saw that it all fell into place. We just got a call that the SUV was found abandoned at the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail parking lot. It is being towed in to the HPD garage for the CSU to go over it."

"Okay…..why don't you and Lou go talk to Keller's employer in person while Danny and I meet with Conrad Brickman?" Steve suggested. "Just what does Mr. Brickman do for a living?"

"He owns one of the major construction companies on the island," Lou responded. He gave them the address.

"Hey, what makes you think that you're fit to go in the field?" Danny demanded of Steve.

"Just how dangerous is it to interview a man whose SUV was stolen?" Steve asked. "Two people observe better than one. I may not be able to chase a suspect but I certainly can talk to this man. Besides….I am the leader here."

"He's got a point Danny," Lou put in. "Two sets of eyes and ears are always better. Steve will be fine."

Chin was checking the table and he frowned at what he was reading. Quickly he sent the information up onto one of the overhead screens.

"Hey guys…..this just came up when I was cross-referencing names. It appears that Conrad Brickman is on the client list of Bruce Martin. And it seems that Jamar Security has done work on some of Brickman Construction's job sites."

"Well that certainly gives us more topics to discuss with Mr. Brickman. Somehow I find it difficult to believe these are only a coincidences," Steve declared.

"If he is part of this, he isn't going to admit it. He'll be prepared with a cover story," Danny reminded him. "Maybe we need to take backup along just in case this turns violent."

"Okay, we'll have a squad car follow us. But let's get moving before this guy decides to leave the island," Steve insisted and turned towards the door.

"Why do I have the feeling this is a bad idea?" Danny muttered as he followed his partner out.

Once in the car, Steve called for a squad car to back them up and then checked in with Brickman's office to see if the man was at his office. Told that he was, Steve informed the secretary that they would be there shortly and expected Mr. Brickman to be available. He hung up before she could protest.

"Now that was not very polite babe," Danny smirked.

"It should be very interesting to see how nervous Brickman is when we arrive," Steve said with a satisfied smile. "He doesn't dare take off unless he wants us to track him down and I have a feeling the guy will try to bluff his way out of this or he would never have reported that vehicle stolen. Now we can observe how good a poker player he is. Why don't you take the lead in questioning and I'll sit back and watch?"

"I like that idea very much," Danny grinned.

When they reached the office building, they left the two HPD officers in the lobby and took the elevator to the twenty-fourth floor. They were met by a very flustered secretary who had been taken to task by her boss when she had told him who to expect. She was relieved to notify Mr. Brickman that 5-0 was now here and wanted to speak to him. She couldn't avoid glancing at the two serious men who refused to take a seat. Danny noticed a stack of Carson Makenna campaign flyers on the woman's desk.

Conrad opened the door to his private office and had to steel himself from showing his surprise when he saw McGarrett leaning on a crutch in the outer office. He had been expecting the visit but not to see McGarrett himself. Gaining control over his expression, he tried to look relaxed as he greeted the two 5-0 members.

"Gentlemen, I'm very surprised to see 5-0 following up on a stolen vehicle report," he greeted them. "Please come in, we'll talk in my office," Conrad said hastily. He motioned them inside his very comfortable office. "Please….take a seat, Commander McGarrett, it is an honor to meet you." He closed the office door and headed around his desk to sit while both Danny and Steve seated themselves in rich leather chairs facing him.

"Mr. Brickman, I'm Detective Danny Williams. We're here to follow up on the report of your stolen Suburban since we have learned that it was used in an attack on Commander McGarrett yesterday. HPD has found it in a parking lot in the Kaiwi Shoreline Trail parking lot. Do you have any idea who may have taken your Suburban?" Danny asked, taking the lead as Steve suggested.

"My God….no, I have no idea who would have taken it. I am sorry Commander McGarrett. Was anyone hurt besides you?" Conrad asked in pretend shock.

"A man was killed. Do you know a man named Lon Keller?" Danny continued as Steve said nothing. He brought up a picture of Lon on his phone and showed it to Conrad. The man's only reaction was a quick swallow.

"I don't know him," Conrad said and looked away. "I'm sorry my vehicle was used that way."

"We also understand that you were acquainted with a man named Bruce Martin," Danny pressed on. He kept a close watch on Brickman's face.

"I heard that Bruce was dead. It's a shame what happened to him. He was my personal accountant, he was a good man. I have no idea what he was involved in…..we weren't close," Conrad said quickly.

"So it was just business between you two?" Danny asked.

"Just business," Conrad nodded. He kept glancing at McGarrett who had not said a word thus far. His nerves stretched tighter, unable to read the expression on the Commander's face. A light sheen of perspiration broke out on his forehead.

"Tell me Mr. Brickman, did Jamar Security do any security work for you?" Steve finally spoke.

"Jamar Security? Sure, Malcom is a friend, I've hired his firm for some of my jobs. Why?" Conrad asked in surprise as his stomach did a slow roll.

"We have learned that Lon Keller was employed by Jamar Security. Are you sure you have never met him?" Steve said calmly.

A flash of raw anger flared briefly in Brickman's eyes as he looked at Steve before he quickly rubbed his hand over his face. Steve recognized an enemy when he saw one.

"I don't know all of Malcom's employees. I don't believe I can help you any further, this conversation is done," Conrad said rising to his feet. "I think this conversation is over."

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. I think that Steve is stirring a hornet's nest. We shall see where this leads.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Runaway Witness XVI**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0 and I make no profit off of this story.**

 **Thanks for all the attention that you've given my story. I really do appreciate the reviews.**

Chapter 16

Steve and Danny rose as well, both of them braced for a confrontation if Brickman pushed it.

"All right Mr. Brickman, if that is all you have to say we will leave. Please don't leave Oahu, we would like you to remain available if we have more questions," Steve said firmly as he gripped his crutch.

"Am I some sort of suspect?" Conrad demanded heatedly. "Why must I stay on the island when it was my vehicle that was stolen? I'm the victim here."

"Do you have some travel plans Mr. Brickman?" Danny enquired mildly. "We are processing your vehicle at present and questions might arise with what is found so we would like you to be available to help us out. Is that a problem?"

"Oh….I see. I'm sorry I misunderstood what you were asking," Conrad said quickly, attempting to smooth things over. "This whole thing has me rattled. My accountant is killed and then my Suburban stolen…..I just don't know what to think. Of course I will remain available, I have no travel plans."

"Thank you sir, that is good to know. We will be in touch if we have any other questions," Steve said and turned to leave, leaning heavily on the crutch. Danny hurried after him, opening the door for his partner.

Neither man spoke until they were in the elevator.

"Don't leave the island? Really Steven, the man's Suburban is stolen and you make him feel like public enemy number one? We have no proof he's involved in any other way except for some curious coincidences," Danny ranted. "Whatever made you say that?"

"For an innocent man, he sure was jumpy. When I asked about Keller working for Jamar, his reaction was not confusion but anger," Steve replied. "He knows more than he is saying and I can't ignore that."

"I did catch that vibe but why did you poke at him that way? Didn't that tip our hand?"

"I know what I saw in his eyes. I can recognize an enemy when I see one Danny," Steve answered, remembering the flash of rage in Brickman's eyes. "I don't know why but I got the feeling his dislike was personal. My sitting in his office made him angry."

"Well you are Mr. Warmth," Danny chuckled, then realized Steve didn't rise to the bait. "Have you crossed paths with him before?"

"Not that I am aware of," Steve said shaking his head. "He kept glancing at me, not happy to see me there."

"He was jumpy," Danny conceded. "So his vehicle being involved means we dig deeper into his background. Just what are we looking for? And what is our next step?"

"We put a tail on him. We leave the squad watch him until we can get a plainclothes detail on him. Without letting our mole we are doing it," Steve responded. "Sooner or later he will make a mistake, he was right when he said he was rattled."

"Let's hope that move is sooner," Danny said as the elevator doors opened.

They exited the car and briefed the officers as to what they wanted and the headed out to the Camaro. After Danny slid behind the wheel, he looked at Steve and saw how tired he looked.

"You partner, are going home," he announced.

"What?"

"Steven…..you are tired. I am willing to bet you didn't sleep much last night. I will take you home and later I will come by to brief you on everything we've dug up. I will find out what Chin and Lou learned along with what Kono finds out from Mahina. I don't mean to keep you out of the loop, I just think we need you rested for what could become a very hectic day tomorrow," Danny tried to explain.

For one moment Steve thought about overriding that decision but the ache in his leg and shoulder reminded him that he was still healing. Danny had a point and he could benefit with some down time. His team could handle this without him and there was something that he wanted to explore at home anyway.

"Okay….sounds like a plan," he agreed.

Williams blinked in shock and surprise was clearly written on his face.

"Who are you and what did you do with my partner?" he demanded.

"Danny, I'm tired and I could use some rest," Steve said patiently. "I would appreciate a full report though. Maybe the whole team could stop by later today."

"Of course, that would work," Danny nodded, and put the car in gear. He was surprised by the cooperation but didn't argue with it. He could learn to like the change in McGarrett. The rest of the ride was quiet as Steve was lost in his own thoughts. When he parked in front of Steve's home he looked at his partner.

"You're home babe," he announced. "Hey, are you okay?"

Steve blinked and shook his head.

"I'm good….sorry, I was thinking," he responded bringing himself back into the present. "Thanks for the ride home."

"No problem," Danny answered as he watched Steve carefully lever himself out of the Camaro and retrieve the crutch from the backseat. "Are you sure you will be okay?"

"I'm good Danno. See you later," Steve replied before shutting the door and slowly crutching his way to his front door. Danny waited until McGarrett had let himself inside before backing away and heading to headquarters. He felt he could relax while his partner was safely stowed away at home.

He would not have had that peace of mind if he had noticed the pickup parked nearby watching Steve make his way inside. There was a smile of pleasure on the man's face as he saw how McGarrett limped to his front door alone.

*H 5-0*

Malcom Jamar was aware of the phone message from 5-0 but chose to delay responding since he still wasn't sure how to distance himself from Lon. He threw himself into an upcoming project but wasn't a bit surprised when two members of 5-0 showed up at his office. Now he'd have to hope they would buy his story.

"Mr. Jamar, I'm Captain Grover and this is Lt. Kelly, we're with the 5-0 task force. We have a few questions about one of your employees…..a Lon Keller. We did leave a message for you to call us," Lou stared the conversation.

"Sorry about that. When I dive into a project I ignore the phone," Malcom replied, indicating the plans spread over his work table. "I silence the phone ringer to be able to concentrate and haven't checked my messages. What do you want to know about Lon?"

"Does Lon Keller work for you?"

"Yes. Why?" Mal responded trying to look confused. "Is there a problem?"

"We're sorry to tell you that Mr. Keller was killed yesterday," Lou answered.

"What? Was there an accident? Lon was supposed to be starting his vacation yesterday, he said he was heading for the North Shore. Was it a car crash?" Malcom questioned. He knew Lon had vacationed on the North Shore in the past so if his other employees were asked they wouldn't be surprised. Lon had never developed a close friendship with any of the other men who worked for him so they wouldn't debunk Malcom's story.

"No Mr. Keller was involved with a group of people who tried to kill Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett and two teenagers. He was shot by the Commander on the south end of the island," Chin told him, watching his response carefully.

Malcom kept his composure, figuring that they would try to trip him up. He buried his rage at being reminded that McGarrett had killed his friend and put on a concerned expression. He would beat 5-0 at their own game.

"That does not sound like Lon. I find that very hard to believe," he said slowly.

"I'm afraid it is true. We identified his body," Chin said gravely and showed him a photo of Lon's dead body. "He was in possession of a stolen rifle that was illegally converted to automatic fire. Did you know anything about that?"

"No way. I had nothing to do with stolen guns. Do you have any proof that I do?" Malcom said shaking his head and glaring at the two men. "All I did was offer a guy I served in the Marines with a job when he came asking in 2009. He has been a good employee, we have hung out some and talked about old times but I don't know anything about this kind of trouble."

"We will need his employment information and the names of your other employees so we can question them," Lou told him. "We are just asking questions Mr. Jamar, not accusing you of anything."

"Okay," Malcom backed off and calmed down. "Lon was a loner so they won't be able to tell you much. I only employ three other guys."

"We can use all the information we can get," Chin said. "We will find out what Mr. Keller was involved in."

"I still can't believe Lon was part of this," Malcom said as he went to the computer and printed out the information they had requested. When the printout appeared he handed it to Lou. "I have no idea why he would attack McGarrett."

Chin had been looking around the room and saw a flyer for Carson Makenna's campaign on top of the printer. He couldn't help wondering if that was part of this man's reaction to their questions.

"Gentlemen, I need to get back to work. I am sorry to hear Lon is dead but I don't know what he was mixed up in. I have a deadline I am under," Malcom said as he gestured to the prints on the work table.

"Thank you for your help Mr. Jamar. If we have any other questions we will contact you," Chin told him and then the two 5-0 officers left.

Malcom watched them leave, gave them fifteen minutes and then locked up his office. He got in his pickup and headed to where he knew McGarrett lived.

Chin and Lou got in Lou's Suburban and exchanged looks.

"Just how much of that did you buy?" Chin asked the big man.

"It was a very interesting story. Keller shows up in 2009 and Jamar offers him a job in his security firm. They are buds from the service and you don't just hire any dude to work in a job like this. You have to know you trust him. But now he claims that except for hanging a bit with the guy he really doesn't know what he does with his free time?" Lou scowled. "I don't know about you but I think he was trying very hard to distance himself from Keller. We need to look deeper into Mr. Jamar's background and see who he has been hanging with."

"He had a Makenna flyer in the office. I wonder if he shares the candidate's dislike of 5-0?" Chin observed.

"He was pretty composed when hearing about his employee's death. Didn't flinch when you showed him the photo. I have got an itch between my shoulder blades that says something is not right. I wonder if his military experience included bomb making?"

"It looks like we have some digging to do," Chin agreed. "We know that he has worked for Brickman Construction and that man has a vehicle that was involved in the attack on Steve."

"Well we wanted some leads and now we have them," Lou said with a grin. "Let's hope that our little bird has overheard something that can help fit the puzzle pieces together."

*H 5-0 *

Kono popped her head into Mahina's room to discover the girl and Nahele were watching a show on Animal Planet. The boy tried to look bored with the kittens and puppies but he could hide his interest in Mahina's reaction to the show.

"Hey you two, is now a good time to go over those notes you made in the notebook?" she asked brightly.

"Hello Officer Kalakaua," Mahina said shyly. "Sure, I can try."

"Saved…." Nahele murmured as he shut off the TV.

"Hey, I haven't seen a TV show in months," Mahina retorted but she couldn't prevent a small smile from creeping over her face.

"Sit here," Nahele said giving up his bedside chair. He moved to the other side of the bed and sat on the edge. Kono handed the notebook to the girl.

"Do you feel up to this?" she asked the young woman.

"I'm good," Mahina nodded. She opened the book and studied the page where she had scribbled the notes. "Oh man…I wrote a lot of this in such lousy light. No wonder you can't read it." She squinted at the page, shaking her head. "Like I said…I wrote the words, bombs and robberies. I also wrote down guns…..many guns. I didn't hear any names." She squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on the memories the words brought back. "They mentioned something about an election and scaring people to vote right. There was loud argument about killing and a rally. That was two days before I got shot. I was scared, I didn't know what to do. Does any of this help?" Mahina asked as she looked at Kono.

End chapter.

 **Again, thank you so much for reading. The clues are piling up, now the team just has to put them together in time.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Runaway Witness XVII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0 and I only play with their characters.**

 **I have to explain the delay in the last chapter. FF would not accept the chapter when I tried to post on Monday 6/13. It took until Wednesday and help from Cokie316 to work out how to finally get the site to accept my chapter. I apologize for any confusion when she tried to tell you why I wasn't posting. I now have it all figured out for now and hope there won't be any more problems. Thank you for all your feedback.**

Chapter 17

"It does help Mahina, it helps a lot," Kono told the teen when she looked worried. "Thanks to you we have places to start looking. We can work with that."

"I didn't tell you much," Mahina said doubtfully. "I don't know where the bombs will go off and I have no names. I don't see how that helps much."

"We have clues to follow now. You did the best you could," Kono replied. She reached out to squeeze the girl's hand and smiled at her.

"I hope so."

"Has the doctor said when you can leave the hospital?" Kono asked, changing the subject.

"Dr. Carver said I can leave soon, I am doing much better and healing. Maybe even tomorrow if they can figure where to put me," Mahina said despondently. She looked depressed. "I won't let them send me back to the Hamilton's home. I will run away again."

Kono nodded, Lou had filled her in on his talk to CPS and what they had to say. There was a new woman heading it now and she had come on only in the last three months and needed to review the case. In the meantime she had agreed to hold off placing the girl back with that family. Seeing the anger and concern in the girl's eyes gave Kono an idea.

"I think I have an idea that might work," she told Mahina. "I think I will ask if they will let you stay with me for the time being."

"With you? Would that be allowed?" the girl asked in surprise.

"I don't know but we can find out," Kono smiled, warming to the idea the more she thought about it. "I could use the company right now." She missed Adam so much while he was finishing his prison sentence, this just might be what she needed. It could be good for her and Mahina. She hoped that CPS would approve if it was only until things could be sorted out and the investigation closed on that foster family.

Mahina was overwhelmed by Kono's kindness. After her mom died no one had ever expressed an interest in having her around. The Hamiltons had said they wanted her but it was mainly for how saintly that made them appear to the public and to satisfy Jared Hamilton's desires for under-aged girls. The true kindness from the 5-0 team made tears well up in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered. Nahele scooted closer and put an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close, trying to comfort her.

"I promise we won't let them put you back in a bad situation," Kono swore. She decided she would personally dig into this if CPS didn't do anything. "Get some rest now. You've helped a lot."

"I still don't think I helped much," Mahina said softly. She looked down at the notebook page again, trying to remember the night of these notes. "I remember that they said stuff about busy places to put the bombs."

"What happened the night you were shot?"

"When I heard noises downstairs, I turned off my lantern and lay on my sleeping bag. At first the voices were quiet, I couldn't understand any words. Then I heard them yelling and they said something about innocent people and keeping secrets. I heard 5-0 mentioned but not what they said about you. Suddenly there were loud bangs…..shots and I think I screamed in surprise. There were footsteps on the stairs and I got up and ran to the boarded up windows, to try and get out through the loose boards but I was too slow. I saw a shadow and felt pain. I fell down and curled up in a ball," Mahina said, her voice shaking as all the fear returned with the memories. Nahele held her tightly, murmuring soothing words.

"Thank you, I know that scared you but you are safe now. No one is going to hurt you again," Kono told her and squeezed her hand. "I am going back to the office and see what I can make of your clues. Just call me if you remember anything else."

"We will Officer Kalakaua," Nahele promised.

"Call me Kono," the woman said before leaving.

*H 5-0*

Once Steve reached the quiet of his house and sat down in the recliner, he took out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts until he found someone who could give him some background on Jamar and Keller. He felt better doing this in the privacy of his own home without having to be careful about curious ears listening in. He trusted his team but his military contacts were not as trusting, it was easier to handle it this way.

Outside, Malcom sat in his truck and watched the house. He had liked the fact that McGarrett was hampered physically, he liked seeing the man's weakness and figured he would find it difficult to fight back. Malcom was spoiling for a fight. Lt. Commander McGarrett represented all the officers who he had dealt with during his Marine years. The ones who always thought they knew more than those in the trenches. All his anger was now directed at Steve McGarrett because of his rank and that he had shot Lon.

The activity on the street made him realize his mission was better handled after dark. Besides, he needed to prepare. He had scouted the house earlier, before McGarrett arrived and he had the floor plan from looking in the windows and had checked out McGarrett's security system. Since the Commander didn't appear to be going anywhere, Mal decided to go home and prepare to come back near dark. He drove away, heading for home feeling very confident.

About an hour later, Danny's Camaro and Lou's Suburban pulled up outside Steve's home. They had done some research and decided it was time to fill in the boss on what they had learned. They came prepared to give Steve a theory of what was happening in this case.

Danny knocked loudly on the door, waited a few minutes and then began to pound in earnest when he didn't get a response. When that didn't give him his desired result, he reached into his pocket to get out his key ring since he still had a key to the house. Chin put out a hand to stop him when a quiet sounds came to them from inside.

Moments later the door swung open and Steve stood in front of them, staring at them through suspicious eyes. As he realized it was his team, he relaxed and lowered the weapon he held in his hand. He motioned the team inside and then set the Sig on the side table as he shut the door behind them. To those who entered the room saw the blanket lying on the floor beside the recliner and knew that they had disturbed Steve's nap.

"Hey babe, sorry we disturbed you but we have gone through our information and thought you would like to know what we learned," Williams announced as he took hold of Steve's good arm and guided him back to the recliner. "Sit down before you fall over."

Steve made no protest, sat down and looked expectantly at his team as they made themselves comfortable. Kono set up her laptop on the coffee table and balanced on a corner of the couch.

"How are you feeling?" Chin asked.

"Good," Steve replied automatically and then realized that as he shook off the sleepiness that he actually did feel better. Sleeping for even that short time had actually helped a lot. Looking around at the rest of his team he knew they were eager to tell him what they learned. "So bring me up to speed."

"We know that after our visit to Brickman, the man never left his office until he decided to go home early. A plainclothes detail followed him home and are still watching. We know that he made several calls from the office but they were all business related and on the up and up," Danny filled him in.

"Malcom Jamar was not happy we showed up at his office. He answered our questions but he made every effort to convince us he wasn't very close to Keller. That struck us as odd since he hired him for a job that requires a certain degree of trust in your workers. When we checked with his other three employees, they said that Keller and Jamar were friendlier than Jamar would admit. Malcom did say that he thought that Keller was going to the North Shore for vacation and while we found a place Keller used in Kawela in the past, there was no current reservation," Lou told him.

"Jamar did get rather touchy when we brought up that the weapon Keller had on him was stolen. Said we had no proof that he was involved in anything like that," Chin added. "He insisted that Keller would never be involved in a plot to hurt you. Then he rushed us out claiming he had a job he had to finish. We tried to get their military records to see if they had any bomb experience but ran into a stone wall."

"Well I managed to reach out to my military contacts at the Marines," Steve said with a smile, not surprised that they hadn't gotten anywhere with the military. "Jamar and Keller did serve in the same unit for one tour in Afghanistan. Keller's service was rather unremarkable and he was honorably discharged after eight years of service. Jamar was another story. He had a few write-ups for insubordination but otherwise no major red flags. He didn't work in bomb disposal but that doesn't mean anything, it is easy to learn to build pipe bombs. He was stationed here when his enlistment ended and he stayed on the island to open his company."

"And that is why we love you," Lou grinned. "Nothing like having an in with the military."

"So both Jamar and Brickman were not the most forthcoming of men," Danny muttered.

"That's not all," Kono said as she worked her laptop. "I now have the report from the officer who went to Brickman's on the stolen vehicle. It seems that said officer is not speedy about filing his reports but he is detailed in what he does write. Brickman said he was boar hunting on the other side of the island but while his jeep did have hunting gear in it, it was very clean and so were his clothes and boots."

"I knew he was hiding something," Steve declared.

"This report also says he has a twenty-three year old son who dad told the officer was on the North Shore visiting a girlfriend."

"We need to check on that boy," Lou said firmly. "The North Shore seems to be a popular place suddenly."

"Okay, it looks like we do have some of the players," Danny commented. "I suggest we dig even deeper into Mr. Brickman's life since he seems to be central to all the others. He has connections to Martin and Jamar."

"For an innocent bystander who only lost an SUV, he sure seems to know a lot of people with either connections to the murder or the stolen guns and the attack on Steve and the kids," Lou stated. "That doesn't pass the smell test to me."

"Well then you are going to love this information I just dug up on the missing Nelson Brickman," Kono announced. "He works for his father, no big surprise there and has no criminal record. He was the Oahu Trap and Skeet champion two years in a row in 2012 and 2013. Back in 2010, he was also State doubles champ at the Oahu Club, his partner was Noe Akina," she read off the computer.

"Akina…why is that name familiar?" Danny questioned. He glanced around the group to see if the others recognized the name.

"Akina Floral Delights," Chin filled him in. "Keawe Akina has several florist shops thought out the island, all highly successful. You can't miss the bright aqua vans with a bird of paradise flower on the sides. That is where Malia and I bought our wedding flowers, she said they were the best."

"That's it," Danny said snapping his fingers. "I bought flowers there for Melissa's birthday." He thought for a moment. "Do you think we should check the flower guy and his kid out too?"

With a few clicks of her keyboard, Kono shook her head.

"Noe is attending UCLA on a tennis scholarship and school is in session at the moment. I would think he is in Los Angeles since it is the current tennis season but I can have that checked out."

"We should certain check out the father though," Lou said.

"We need to cross reference the names of the tennis club members along with the trap and skeet club. And since they seem to be sports minded, we can see if Brickman belongs to a gold club and if any names there match what we have. I am willing to bet we will find that one of the more exclusive clubs has Brickman as a member and Akina too," Steve suggested.

"That is a lot of names but I bet you are right," Chin nodded. "These people had to have crossed paths somewhere."

"I should have come into the office. The table would have gotten this search going faster," Steve sighed.

"We can interface with the table from here," Kono told him as she got to work. "I'll get the search started and someone can order dinner, I'm starving."

"No pineapple pizza for me if you insist on calling for pizza," Danny warned everyone.

"I'm game for whatever everyone else wants," Steve said mildly causing Danny to look at him suspiciously.

"How about Chinese, then everyone can have what they like," Chin said holding up his phone. When the others agreed, he took their requests and called it in. Once that was done, he looked around the group. "Once we finish eating we can have Kono clue us in on what Mahina had to say. She's been rather quiet on that meeting. You shut yourself in the office Cuz and didn't share."

"Did the doctor say how soon she can be released?" Steve asked.

"They said possibly tomorrow, she is doing really well. I wasn't hiding Chin, I was trying to work out if CPS would let her stay with me until they finished investigating that family she was living with," Kono told them.

The men looked surprised and then told her that was a great idea. Steve smiled happily, proud of how his team was trying to help the girl. This was a perfect solution for now.

End chapter.

 **Thanks for reading.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Runaway Witness XVIII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. The reward I do get is the reviews from the readers.**

 **Thanks for the continued support of this story. I really do appreciate hearing your thoughts.**

Chapter 18

Lou and Chin cleared away the debris from dinner and then returned to listen to what Kono learned from Mahina. They all wanted to know if there were any new leads to follow.

Kono sat back and recounted the whole visit with the teenager. Mahina's memories of an election and a rally that reading the notebook triggered had sent Kono to her computer to research what might be coming up. It hadn't taken her long to discover that Carson Makenna was holding a rally on Tuesday at the Hawaii Convention Center.

"Does that make Makenna the target?" Danny asked.

"Wouldn't that be ironic if we end up saving the life of the man who wants to put us out of business?" Kono grumbled.

"We cannot pick and choose who we protect," Steve reminded her. "Maybe if we save him, he'll change his mind about us."

"You know…Brickman's secretary had a pile of Makenna campaign flyers on her desk. That doesn't really fit with someone plotting against the candidate," Danny said remembering what he had seen in the office.

"Jamar had a flyer in his office as well," Chin added.

"Well now, isn't that interesting?" Lou murmured. "Either they're pretending to support Makenna or he is not the target."

"So now what?" Kono asked. "Do we protect Makenna or go after his supporters? And if this group is behind this then what are the bombs needed for? Why set them off at the rally?"

Everyone quietly contemplated Kono's question. There were several possible answers and none were good. The ultimate worry was that innocents were in danger of dying.

"Mahina did say they were arguing about scaring people instead of killing them," Kono continued. "She said it sounded like they were trying to influence the vote. I think they want to frighten people into voting for Makenna because he endorses stronger by the book law enforcement. I am guessing that they want to embarrass us if we can't prevent it and people will believe he's the only one to protect them."

"What does embarrassing us really accomplish? How would we be able to prevent what we wouldn't know was coming?" Lou asked in puzzlement.

"If they don't all go off at once and we can't stop it then we look incompetent and that proves Makenna has a point. Mahina said they want to scare voters and if we can't protect them then that looks like the candidate is right in his position. It doesn't take much to sway voters with fear," Steve pointed out.

"Until we know more, we have to consider all possibilities," Chin said pragmatically. "Once we dig deeper, we will know more."

"Maybe we can use the mole to move things along," Lou suggested. "If Sparks thinks we know their targets they may show their hand trying to stop us."

"How about we let him hear that Mahina is ready to talk to us and we're moving her to a safe house?" Danny stated.

"We can't put her in danger Danny," Kono protested.

"No…..no, we let the mole think we're putting her in a safe house. What we do is give Sparks an address and make him believe that's where the girl is. We watch and nail whomever shows up," Danny explained.

"Danno….I'm impressed," Steve said with a grin. "I think that is an idea we can work with. Great idea."

"I've been known for them," Danny said dryly.

"We'll have to handle this carefully. These people may be amateurs but they aren't stupid," Kono warned but she liked that Mahina would not be in danger.

*H 5-0*

Hiding outside the house, Malcom Jamar was frustrated because he couldn't risk getting close enough to eavesdrop on the conversation going on inside. All the windows were closed but none of the curtains were drawn. He couldn't be close enough to hear anything without the possibility of being seen. Finally he gave up and retreated to his truck to wait for McGarrett to be alone.

*H 5-0*

"So let me get this straight…we sell the mole on the premise that Mahina will only talk at the safe house and then hope they move on it, right?" Kono asked, trying to get the idea straight in her head.

"It will work," Danny replied. "They are working on a particular time frame so we can believe that they won't change their plans on short notice."

Kono nodded, seeing that point. It was about time they caught a break.

"Chin, can you organize this with Duke tomorrow morning? We don't know if Sparks has any collaborators at HPD so this has to be handled carefully and we need to move quickly," Steve stressed.

"I can do that," Chin nodded.

"Kono, I want you to make sure Mahina and Nahele get to safety. Can you take them to your house until this is over? I think we are going to need a decoy to pose as Mahina, it will make this more believable," Steve continued, fleshing out the plan.

"I can do that Boss, no problem," Kono assured him.

"Good, then Lou, Chin, Danny and I can be in the safe house, ready to handle any attempt to silence our informant," Steve finished. "We can put Sparks on the detail that is moving the fake Mahina."

"Whoa…..stop right there. We are going to be inside the house? What if they use the bombs?" Danny protested.

"We have to sell this Danny. Just giving an address may make them suspicious. We have to make this look right. They won't be allowed to set any bombs off before we catch them," Steve explained to his partner.

Danny looked around at the others in the room but it seemed that no one was ready to support his side of this. He did see that Steve had a point but he did not like being a sitting duck in a house while bombers were lurking outside.

"Okay…so is there anything more to discuss tonight?" he finally asked. "Besides me taking a day of vacation."

"I think you have all gone above and beyond the line of duty today," Steve acknowledged with a tired smile. "Go home, get some rest."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Lou chuckled. They all could see how tired Steve looked.

"I may give Duke a call tonight and hash the plan out with him," Chin said as he rose to his feet.

The group gathered up all their files and things as Kono closed her laptop to leave. They checked to see that Steve didn't need anything else and then moved outside, waiting for him to lock up and set his alarm. When they heard the alarm engage with a click, they went to their vehicles and headed away.

Once he heard the vehicles drive off, Steve eyed the stairs to his bedroom and decided he was just too tired to climb them to go to sleep. He made a trip to the downstairs bathroom and then headed back to the couch, grabbing the blanket by the recliner on the way. He reached over to the side table and picked up his service weapon and moved it to the coffee table. With a very grateful sigh, he sank onto the soft leather of the couch and drew the throw blanket up over him after removing the sling. Reaching over his head, he turned off the lamp and then relaxed, closing his eyes. With a deep sigh, he settled in and let his tiredness take over.

*H 5-0*

Malcom had sat in his truck waiting to see the vehicles of the 5-0 team leave the McGarrett driveway. Once they were seen on the street, he left his truck and headed towards the house. Now wearing black from head to toe and carrying both a sheathed knife and a holstered gun with a silencer, he moved quickly to the front door. In his hubris, he felt sure he would be more than able to take on an injured Navy SEAL.

When he had been there earlier in the day, dressed in his shirt that displayed his security company logo to not arouse suspicion among the neighbors since he knew that most would not pay attention to the name, he had taken note of the type of alarm McGarrett had and knew he could disarm it without setting off an alert. He had also circled the home, peering in windows and had a pretty good idea of the layout inside. The screening of shrubs and trees around the house kept it private and had also saved him from curious eyes which suited Jamar very well. He waited near the front door downstairs, giving McGarrett time to go upstairs and head to bed.

When enough time had passed, he went to the box that accessed the security system and holding a penlight in his mouth, Malcom opened the box and disarmed the alert and alarm easily. He then went to the front door and expertly picked the locks, once again with the aid of the small flashlight. With that accomplished, he pocketed his tools and slipped a thin, black mask over his head bringing it down over his face. While he didn't plan on the Commander surviving this visit, he knew it made sense to play it safe and he didn't know if there were camera's set up inside. It payed to be careful. With one gloved hand on the doorknob, he removed his weapon from the holster and quietly eased open the door.

*H 5-0*

McGarrett awoke instantly when the door began to swing inward. He had been meaning to take some WD-40 to a couple of the hinges but had so far not gotten around to it. Now that neglected chore would prove to be just as good as an alarm. The small squeaks roused him from sleep and he instinctively reached for the handgun on the coffee table, bringing it over to his body. He craned his head back to try and see who was entering the house as the door moved open wider. A dark figure was revealed in the dim moonlight that illuminated the area around the door but did not reach his place on the couch. Keeping still, his finger on the trigger, Steve watched the man move inside and towards the staircase.

With his intruder silently moving away from him, towards the stairs, Steve cautiously sat up and swung his legs off the couch. The house remained silent and McGarrett realized that his alarm system had been disconnected by his intruder and the man seemed very sure of where he was going. The questions were…who and why?

Waiting for the man to ascend a couple steps, Steve rose and praying his sore thigh would support him, moved away from the confines of the coffee table and towards the center of the room. Remaining in the shadowed area, Steve raised his weapon.

"Are you looking for me?" he enquired quietly.

The figure on the stairs halted and swung his way. Moonlight touched the metal of the weapon as it swung in his direction. Steve saw he was masked but the man's posture showed he was surprised to find his quarry below him and not upstairs.

"Put the weapon down and take off the mask," Steve ordered tersely. He knew he had the advantage of surprise and being hidden in the darkness but could also see that the man quickly zeroed in on the sound of his voice, bringing his weapon to bear in Steve's direction. Seeing the gun raise just a bit, followed by two muffled pops, McGarrett dropped to his knees while firing two shots of his own. He saw his target flinch at the first shot and then the figure ran up the stairs.

Aware that even in the dark he was vulnerable to the man on the balcony above, Steve pushed up and limped quickly to the area under the overhang. Pressed back against the wall, he quietly sidestepped towards the staircase. It was a relief to realize that while tender, his right leg was not threatening to buckle under him.

He paused, straining to hear footsteps above him but his assailant was stealthy. Steve had no idea if this break in was connected to their current case or a new enemy completely but he intended to find out.

Ignoring the tenderness in his leg, Steve hurried to the foot of the stairs and headed up, his gun trained on the top of the stairs. The soft sound of a person heading away made him hurry up the rest of the stairs. Another muffled pop made him lean out over the rail as a bullet missed him by inches and buried in the wall at the top of the stairs. Glancing ahead, he saw the man disappear into the access to the upstairs lanai. Rushing after him, Steve found the man already going over the railing.

"Stop," he shouted and fired but the intruder dropped to the lower level.

Steve ran to the rail but his next shots were off target as the man hurriedly zig-zagged across the lawn to disappear down by the beach and into the tree screening the next property.

Inside shouts and pounding feet could be heard as lights flashed on and he could hear his name being called. Steve limped inside to find Danny and Lou panting at the head of the stairs. The two men had rushed to his house after an alarm went off on their phones earlier.

"The guy got away on the beach," Steve announced, then gave the two men a smirk. "So that backup alarm worked just fine, didn't it? Sorry I dragged you out of bed."

End chapter.

 **It seems that Steve had added to his security and Malcom didn't see it. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Runaway Witness XIX**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Reviews are my payment and makes the muse do handsprings.**

 **This is posting late because of the holiday weekend. I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July if you celebrate it.**

Chapter 19

"Oh, your backup worked just peachy," Danny growled. "I had literally just gotten into bed. I'm willing to bet that Lou never reached home."

"Nope, almost made it," Lou acknowledged. "Just what the hell went on around here? We left you locked in for the night."

"Someone wants me dead. He picked the lock and disabled the main alarm," Steve said calmly. The sound of a squad car siren was wailing outside as two cops appeared downstairs at the door. "Check down by the beach, the perp went that way. I am not sure he is still around," he told them and the two disappeared.

"Okay, you are a target. Is this related to our case or a whole new can of worms?" Danny asked puzzled.

"I don't know," Steve admitted joining them at the top of the stairs. "I decided to sleep on the couch and the next thing I know I hear the door creaking open. The alarm didn't sound and the intruder headed right for the stairs. He was visible to me in the moonlight but he couldn't see me in the shadows. He also seemed to know just where he was going so my guess is he expected me to be upstairs, in bed. I had my weapon handy and as he started up the stairs I got up and told him to drop the weapon and take off his mask. His gun had a silencer and he fired as I dropped to my knees and fired back."

"So far this doesn't surprise me," Danny said about Steve's response to the intruder. "So how come there is no body?"

"I know I hit him," Steve continued as he headed down the stairs, halting by two bullet holes in the wall. There was blood around the one hole. "See…..blood. I knew I hit him."

"So you did, unfortunately we don't have a perp to question," Lou grumbled looking around.

"I'll try harder next attempt," Steve said dryly. "I was moving, he was moving…..it was dark. Is it just me or is it not a surprise that this person knew how to disable my main alarm?"

"You're thinking of Malcom Jamar," Lou said with a nod.

"I'm not buying into coincidences right now," Steve answered grimly. "Maybe we should haul him in and see if he has a fresh bullet wound on…..his left arm," he added staring at the wall and figuring where he struck the man.

"And I doubt this wound will be cared for at a clinic or a hospital either," Danny sighed, knowing the injured person from the day before had also not sought treatment.

"Yea but McGarrett did wing him, that's enough to give us a heads up along with what CSU can learn from the blood," Lou said pulling out his phone. "We need to get them over here to take samples."

Steve nodded and continued downstairs as the two cops returned to the house. They had not been able to find the intruder or any sign of where he went. Steve dismissed them and headed over to the couch. Now that the adrenalin had dissipated he felt very tired. He had no clue why someone from the Makenna campaign would want him dead but that was what this was beginning to look like.

"Okay, CSU is on the way. Maybe they can get some DNA from that blood sample," Lou stated as he and Danny stood in front of the couch.

"Sounds good," Steve nodded tiredly.

"Okay, why don't you actually go back upstairs and get some sleep in your own bed," Danny told him. "Lou and I will deal with CSU and then trade shifts keeping watch the rest of the night."

"I don't need bodyguards," Steve protested.

"You need some sleep, your alarm is disabled and I'll never get any sound sleep if I have to worry about your safety. I'm well acquainted with this couch so that isn't even an issue," Danny said firmly. He crossed his arms and stared at his partner in concern. "Steven, your intruder is in the wind, for tonight let us keep watch. Tomorrow we will check out Jamar."

Not having the energy to protest, McGarrett rested against the couch cushions.

"All right," he agreed. "There are rooms upstairs that will be more comfortable than the couch."

"I happen to like this couch. I have a bond with this couch," Danny reminded him. "Go upstairs, if Lou needs a bed he can go upstairs. Just go up and get some rest. We've got your back."

Lou stood next to Danny and nodded along with his argument. Steve could see that this would turn into a long fight if he didn't agree. He was touched by the concern from his team and he could see the practical side of Danny's argument. He was determined that in the morning he would be stronger and would not stay out of any of the action. Pushing himself up, he accepted the crutch Grover held out to him and slowly made his way back to the stairs. He could feel the pair of eyes follow him as he made his way upstairs and as he limped to his room.

Once the door to McGarrett's room closed, Lou looked at Danny.

"So why is McGarrett a target now?" he asked.

"I don't know but it's clear that either we have a whole new case which I doubt or this is one of our bombers wanting to remove McGarrett," Danny replied.

"I'm guessing it's related but I just can't see why at the moment," Lou answered.

"This sure has gotten messy," Danny sighed.

"Well then I suggest for now you make use of that couch and I'll take the first shift. I'm going to raid McGarrett's fridge…see if he has any leftovers," Lou stated.

"Good luck with that. You do know the man only eats weird stuff," Danny warned as he grabbed the blanket and stretched out on the couch. "Oh…..and try to keep it quiet while I am trying to sleep."

"I'll make sure that CSU knows that when they arrive. I'm sure they will work quietly just to please you," Grover snorted as he headed for the kitchen muttering something about needing coffee and that the next time Kelly and Kalakaua could take the emergency call.

*H 5-0*

Malcom had run down the beach for a distance and then cut through a yard to get back to the street. He moved through the darkness, keeping behind shrubs as he neared McGarrett's home. He saw the two 5-0 vehicles parked in front and the cop car that had responded later. Hiding until that car pulled away, he finally decided that the two 5-0 members were not leaving and then he moved past the house and headed down the street where his truck was parked. He promised himself that next time he would be more prepared.

Deciding it might not be a good idea to return home, Jamar called Keawe Akina and explained his situation briefly. Akina told him to go to his old warehouse on the outskirts of town off of Highway 63. Recently Akina had moved his flower distribution center closer to his main shop but had kept the older, smaller place and that was where the pipe bombs were assembled and stored. Mal knew they needed to accelerate their plans because 5-0 was now getting too nosey. He'd convince Bernie and Conrad that this would go sideways if they didn't act fast. Makenna would still be able to use the bombings as a rallying cry but Malcom wanted to reserve a couple of those bombs to remove 5-0 once and for all.

*H 5-0*

The next morning, Lou, Danny and Steve arrived at headquarters just before 8 A.M. only to discover that the cousins had already arrived. Kono smiled brightly, happy to see McGarrett was walking without a crutch. The man was limping but he left the crutch at home and had also shed the hated sling. He made it clear he was ready for business.

"Next time you two get the middle of the night call," Danny told the pair darkly.

"Sure," Chin nodded with a grin. "You're the one who said you'd call us if needed."

"I had it under control," Steve interjected mildly.

"Of course you did," Kono agreed with a smile. "And that meant Chin and I could get here early and do some more digging. That membership search yielded some interesting connections to Conrad Brickman. He and Malcom Jamar are more than just work related acquaintances. They are both members of the Honolulu Country Club and are part of a regular Wednesday afternoon league. They're part of a foursome along with Keawe Akina and Bernard Driver. Mr. Driver is the president of Pacific Federal Banks. That is some big money that's backing Carson Makenna if our theory is correct. Since there were campaign flyers in both Brickman and Jamar's offices, we can assume they are in favor of Makenna's political positions. What we don't know is if Makenna is aware of…..or approves of what they're up to."

"I wonder if our plan to use the mole will even be effective now," Steve wondered aloud as he paused to study the information on the computer table.

"They can't know how much or what we know," Chin reasoned. "The attack last night seemed rather personal. One thing I did learn going back in Brickman's life was that he had a much younger brother who was killed in a pharmacy robbery. The officer responsible for his death was your dad."

"Well that certainly would explain the hate your saw in Brickman's eyes," Danny said to Steve. "There definitely is a personal grudge to this."

"But we're suspecting Jamar of last night's break in," Lou said in confusion.

"Steve shot Jamar's friend and employee," Chin pointed out.

"You sure do manage to rack up a list of enemies fast," Lou muttered to Steve, shaking his head. "And I think it's even more important to feed our mole that false information and get this over with quickly before someone else comes gunning for you."

"I agree, we don't need to give them time to set off those bombs. The timetable may have been moved up," Danny added.

"I talked to Duke and he's putting a detail together. He'll be in soon to brief us. Last night he told me he would clear this with his captain and make sure that Sparks would be assigned to him," Chin filled them in. "Duke said there is an officer in Narcotics named Mia Palinka who will be perfect for this. She is smart, capable and can pass for someone much younger. She resembles Mahina enough to fool anyone who hasn't met the girl."

"Sounds like everything is in place," Steve nodded. "You're all right….there is no need to wait and let them alter their plans. It's time we start making proactive moves."

Steve had barely finished speaking when Duke entered the office. He greeted the rest of the team and then turned a smile on McGarrett.

"Glad to see you're okay Steve. Everything is approved and we are ready to go ahead. We have a house on a secluded cul-de-sac out near the Summer Palace and I've handpicked the detail that will move our decoy," Duke informed them.

"Sounds great. Just how many are in on our plan?" Steve asked.

"The Captain, Officer Palinka, the two who will be driving her and myself. I made sure Sparks and another officer are not in on the plans and neither of them have ever met Mia, she is new to Oahu, she transferred from Kauai two months ago."

"What about Kono?" Danny asked. "What protection will she have moving Mahina?"

"I've got that handled, I don't need a detail, it would only draw attention to us," Kono assured them. "I have the perfect plan to get her safely out of the hospital."

"I'll trust you on that," Steve grinned. He did trust her and if she said she had a good plan, then she did. "All right, sounds like everything is in place and we just have to execute it. Duke, make sure that your detail knows that I will be with my team at the safe house."

"Will do Steve," Duke agreed leaving the paper with the address of the safe house on the table. "We'll see you there later."

After he walked out of the office, Danny turned to Steve.

"You know Steven, letting Sparks know you are going to be at the safe house is just plain stupid. You are making yourself a target," he pointed out. "I know you are feeling better but this is crazy."

"Knowing I'm there is an added incentive for them to come. Knowing they have a personal grudge means they won't be able to resist," Steve said firmly. "We don't know what they'll bring at us so you need me with you."

"Okay….okay but don't say I didn't try to save your life," Danny grumbled.

"I appreciate your concern," Steve answered with a smirk. He shifted his weight to ease the discomfort in his right leg and hoped no one noticed. He turned to Kono. "Make sure Nahele stays with you. I want to be sure he's safe until this is all over."

"Will do Boss, that's part of my plan. So you four go…take care of your business, I can handle my end," she said making a shooing motion with her hands.

"Okay…..come on Danno, you're my ride," Steve said picking up the address and limping for the door. They'd pick up additional weapons and equipment for their defense of the safe house before heading over there. With a dramatic sigh, Danny followed.

Chin and Lou trailed behind the pair, not even trying to stifle their amusement at the bickering. They wanted to check the house out thoroughly before Duke's detail arrived. There would only be one shot at this, they didn't want to fail.

Kono watched them go and with a smile on her face she shook her head. Of course Steve would make himself a target, it was how he was wired. She pulled her phone of her pocket and pressed a contact.

"Hey Max, have you arranged for my ride later this morning?" she asked brightly. "Thanks, I'll let you know when I need you," she continued after she heard his answer and then broke the connection.

End chapter.

 **Thanks for reading. I hope you like how things are progressing.**


	20. Chapter 20

**Runaway Witness XX**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. The muse is now all excited since she saw the blessing ceremony so let us hope that she keeps the ideas flowing.**

 **Thank you very much for the feedback I have gotten from those who review. I appreciate it.**

Chapter 20

As 5-0 settled into the safe house, Duke Lukela met with the team he had assembled to move Officer Palinka posing as Mahina to that location. Palinka had gone to the hospital to wait in the room next to Mahina and would be briefed further by Kono until Duke's group arrived.

Duke faced the men he had chosen for this detail, confident he had the right officers for this job. Being careful not to spook Sparks by giving too much attention to him, Duke addressed the group.

"Gentlemen, we have a special assignment today. We will be transporting a murder witness from the hospital to a safe house. Officers Chan and Turner will provide her ride, Sparks, you and Mika will follow and watch their back. I'll be driving the lead car."

"Why is she so important Sarge?" Mika asked.

"The girl has important information on a case that 5-0 is handling. She's been reluctant to talk but she's started to trust Commander McGarrett, so she's agreed to meet with him," Duke responded. "Our job is to make sure she gets to the safe house in one piece."

"So 5-0 is going to be at the house? McGarrett himself will be waiting for her? I've always wanted to meet the man," Sparks spoke up. "Will we be staying at the house with them?"

"5-0 is there and McGarrett and his team will be handling her protection as well as questioning her. Our job is just to deliver the girl safely," Duke told him. "You will get your chance to meet the Commander but only if we get moving so let's go."

Everyone got to their feet and filed out of the room. Duke waited until they all left the room and watched as Sparks made a stop in the restroom. Duke continued on and waited at the garage entrance as Sparks hurried toward him, shoving his phone into pocket, three minutes later.

"Sorry Sarge, just needed to make a quick pit stop," Todd said as he passed Lukela and headed out to the squad car. Duke nodded and once in his own vehicle he called McGarrett.

"Steve, I think Sparks has taken the bait. He made a point of confirming you would be present in the house. We are now on the way to the hospital after he made a stop in the restroom. He doesn't have the address yet."

"Thanks Duke, we'll be ready. We'll tell Kono you are on the way. Officer Palinka is in the room next to Mahina's," Steve answered.

"Copy that…..see you soon," Duke said and led the other squads out of the HPD garage.

*H 5-0*

Steve ended the call with Duke and looked at the other three men in the room. Chin was on the couch, Lou sitting in a chair by the window and Danny paced the room looking like a caged animal.

"Chin, can you call Kono and tell her that Duke and the detail are on their way? He said Sparks made a stop in the restroom before getting in the car so we can bet he probably reported in to his buddies."

"So our perps will soon know where we are. Will they be bringing some of those lovely pipe bombs when they come to visit, I wonder?" Danny asked coming to a halt and staring at Steve.

"SWAT and HPD are on standby Danny, along with the bomb squad," Lou reminded him.

"We are on a cul-de-sac, the houses on both sides have been emptied. There will be officers in both houses with night vision binoculars…we will see them coming," Steve said patiently, trying to calm his partner.

Danny glanced out the nearby window, his face unhappy.

"Still makes me feel like a sitting duck," he muttered.

"Do I need to remind you that this was your idea?" Steve asked him mildly.

"My idea was to make our bombers believe we were putting Mahina in a safe house and then wait outside to trap the bad guys, not wait inside to wait for them to blow us up," Danny argued.

"They aren't going to blow us up. We have eyes outside, they won't make it to this house without being seen. We have to make this look real or Sparks will blow the whistle on us. It's important to sell it," Steve pointed out. "If it really makes you uncomfortable to stay here, join the officers in one of the other houses."

"And never hear the end of it…no way," Danny scoffed. "I'm not running away but don't tell me my idea wasn't better."

"When this task force becomes a democracy then we can argue whose idea is better," Steve said, tiring of the argument. He was no longer interested in convincing Danny it had to be done this way.

Lou watched the exchange while Chin tried to look interested in the magazine he was holding. Danny stalked into the kitchen, disappearing from sight and Lou got up and followed him. He found Danny peering out the window next to the backdoor.

"What was that all about?"

"What was what?" Danny growled as he swung around to face Lou.

"You going off on McGarrett about our plan. You know that this set up makes more sense than trying to fake it. We have no idea if Sparks will need to assure his bosses that we really are present in this house. If they know the address they might be able to check if we are occupying it before they show up. We can't leave that all to chance," Lou reminded him.

"I know," Danny snapped and leaned against the counter as he ran his hand through his hair. "I just really, really hate not knowing how many are coming at me or when."

"You ain't alone in that brother," Lou sighed. "But McGarrett's right, this plan is the only way we know where they'll come."

"I know…I know….and I still hate it," Danny stated and expelled a long breath. "It's just so darn hard to shoot at bombs."

"I hear you…but do you want McGarrett's job? Do you want the weight of every decision on your shoulders and the Governor breathing down your neck? Hell these creeps are blaming him for something his dad did and for defending himself in those woods…..none of this is his fault. Cut him some slack Danny," Lou said sympathetically.

Danny closed his eyes and again ran a hand through his hair. He nodded and sighed again.

"I see your point. You are sure that SWAT is backing us up fully and did you see if the bomb squad was here?" he finally asked.

"I am," Lou grinned. "Denning ordered SWAT to be involved, he wants no slip ups and I heard Chin confirm that the bomb squad would move in after dark."

"Well I am beginning to like our Governor more and more," Danny quipped.

"One way or another we will nail these guys," Lou promised.

*H 5-0*

Once Duke and his team had escorted Officer Palinka out of the hospital, Kono finally led Mahina and Nahele out of her room. Being trailed by the officer who had been on guard outside her room, she led them down to the ER.

When they got there, Kono flashed her badge and headed directly to the ambulance bay. Satisfied that access was restricted, she moved confidently forward to greet Max Bergman who waited for her by the coroner's van.

"Hey Max, are you ready to give us a ride out of here?" Kono asked with a smile.

"Yes Officer Kalakaua…although I must say I am not accustomed to transporting living patients in this vehicle. However, since this is for a good cause, I am ready," Max said his eyes sparkling.

"Good, let's get Mahina and Nahele to safety," Kono said motioning for the teens to join her at the van. The girl was apprehensive but with Nahele holding her hand she did as instructed. Nahele grinned at Max as he climbed inside, knowing the coroner was a friend of Steve's and had met him a few times. Kono thanked the officer who had escorted them and sent him home before climbing in the van beside the kids.

With everyone inside, Max started the van and drove out of the ambulance bay. He was sure that no one would think twice about his vehicle leaving the ER since it was sadly a familiar sight at the hospital. With a pleased smile on his face he drove away, watching his mirrors to be sure no one followed.

*H 5-0*

Conrad headed for Akina's warehouse when Malcom had called him, angrily demanding he show up there. On arrival he found Keawe and Bernard Driver gathered around a table that held the finished pipe bombs. Malcom sat nearby, his left arm wrapped in a gauze bandage.

"What the hell is going on?" Brickman barked out. "What happened to you?" he directed at Jamar.

"He was grazed by a bullet from McGarrett," Keawe said sourly.

"What? How the hell did that happen? Just what were you thinking Malcom?" Conrad shouted, advancing on him.

"I decided to take McGarrett out. He was crippled and I felt I could take him. He surprised me…..he wasn't upstairs but sleeping on the couch. Damn bastard got the upper hand on me in the dark," Malcom complained.

"Did he recognize you?" Conrad demanded, feeling the control swing back to him.

"I had a mask on," Malcom said sullenly. "He doesn't know who attacked him."

Before anyone could say anything, Conrad's phone rang. He answered, listened for a few minutes and smiled as heard what he was waiting for.

"Thanks Todd, that's perfect," he said quietly. "Text me the address as soon as you know it," he said and broke the connection. He looked at the others confidently. "5-0 is moving the girl, she's willing to talk. He'll text us the address as soon as he knows it," Conrad announced.

"Why are we still worrying about the girl?" Bernie asked. "If she really had anything to say, she'd have done it by now."

"That's not what Todd said. She may have names. He'll give us the safe house location and McGarrett will be there. It's the perfect opportunity to eliminate them all," Conrad said happily.

"Do you really trust this guy?" Malcom demanded.

"Yes I do. Todd has not given me any false information so far," Conrad snapped. "I say we take out our enemies tonight once we know the location. They believe that no one knows where they are stashing the girl so they won't have a lot of guards, just 5-0. Todd is going to give us as much of an idea about the place as he can after they drop off the girl." He glared at Malcom, daring him to find fault with the plan.

"I think that is an excellent idea," Keawe approved. "I am ready to finish this and get back to my normal life. I don't need this cloak and dagger business in my life. I want Carson elected but I hate the method necessary to make it happen. If I didn't agree that Denning's pet project wielded too much power and need to be discredited, I would never have gone along with it. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"We need to be very careful how we do this and cover our tracks," Bernard warned. "I do not want to pull up stakes and move if we blow this. I believe in Makenna and I want him elected. I agreed to be involved but I'm like Keawe, I want this over. So let's be smart and not mess this up."

"Good attitude," Conrad approved. He was enjoying the shift in power back to him. "We have the perfect opportunity to eliminate 5-0 and the witness and give Carson the chance to make his case for stronger laws. We set off those other bombs as planned it will prove that 5-0 was useless in protecting this city. Carson's message will put him in the Governor's mansion."

"You had better be right," Malcom grumbled. "We are dealing with jail time now. We tried to kill a member of the Governor's task force and I for one don't want to see the inside of Halawa."

"None of us do," Conrad assured him. "We just need to remain calm and wait to know the address. Once it's dark we move in, plant the bombs and blow up the house. They won't see us coming and once it's done…..we're safe." He saw how everyone was now hanging on his words. "We end this tonight."

Pleased that the shift in power was back where it belonged, Conrad found a chair and pulled it over to sit down. He only needed an address to make this work and he had complete faith in Sparks. He would call in some trusted help to set the bombs and all would be good.

End chapter.

 **Thanks for reading, I appreciate it. It is now getting closer to the main event.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Runaway Witness XXI**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Nope, that is a sad fact but I don't.**

 **Thanks for sticking with me on this longer than usual story.**

Chapter 21

Duke arrived with his team and Mia played her part as Mahina very convincingly. She went to Steve and stuck close, not interacting with the other members of the team. Duke made sure his team was introduced to 5-0 so Sparks could confirm that Steve was present at the house. Then Duke had all the detail except Sparks check the outside as if there was no other police presence at the place to give the mole time to observe the interior as McGarrett had instructed.

Todd did a quick scan of the interior of the house but couldn't help watching McGarrett with the girl closely. He took note of how the Commander took the girl by the arm and escorted her to the couch, speaking softly to her. The girl nodded and smiled tentatively as they both sat on the couch. Tearing his gaze away, Sparks looked around, noting the kitchen was through an archway to the left while a hallway to the right must lead to the bedrooms and bathroom on the right side of the structure. Shifting from foot to foot he was now eager to get out of there and report back to Conrad, as he was beginning to get nervous that the Commander would become suspicious of him.

The detail returned inside and Chin met with Duke near the door.

"It's all clear outside," Duke told him. "It's quiet, are you set here?"

"We are. Thanks Duke, we can take it from here," Chin responded. "Captain Grover and I will stand watch while McGarrett and Williams question the girl."

"Call if you need help," Duke said and winked when none of the others were looking.

"We certainly will," Chin promised with a nod.

Ushering his men out of the house, Duke got in his squad and led the way back to HPD. As the vehicles pulled away from the house, Chin turned to Steve and Mia sitting on the couch and Danny and Lou returned from the kitchen.

"I would say we did a good job of baiting the hook. And it will likely be after nightfall before we have to worry about things going boom in the night," Danny said with a sigh.

"I agree," Steve stated. "But we will put our eyes outside on notice anyway. Once it's dark the bomb squad will move in quietly and park several houses down. We will also have a team of two men in the area behind the house."

"Only one team?" Danny questioned.

"We can't have all of HPD here Danny…Sparks might catch on," Steve pointed out. He got up and moved to look out the front window.

"Why don't both you and Lou catch some rest while we wait?" Chin suggested to Danny. "You two had a rough night watching over Steve."

"You don't have to tell me twice. I could use a nap," Lou said and disappeared towards one of the back bedrooms.

"Go on Danny," Steve said when Williams hesitated. "I know you didn't sleep well on my couch and that's my fault. Do as Chin suggests, it will help kill time."

Williams considered protesting but he was a bit tired and he wouldn't mind a nap. The night could get to be very long and he did see real concern on his partner's face.

"Okay, you don't have to twist my arm. Wake me if anyone carrying pipe bombs stops by and knocks on the door," Danny sighed and headed back to claim the second bedroom.

Mia Palinka glanced around at the remaining men in the room with interest. She had heard all the gossip and tales about the Governor's task force that had greeted her arrival in Honolulu, but they still took her by surprise. She had expected a coldly efficient group that lived by military standards given their leader's background. The casual attitude expressed by Det. Williams caught her off guard and McGarrett's ease with which Williams' caustic reactions were shrugged off was not what she had anticipated. This whole interaction reminded her of her five brothers' behavior and now she understood Officer Kalakaua's comment about needing a whip for this job.

Chin's phone rang and he quickly answered.

"Hey Cuz, are you safely home?" he questioned. A smile bloomed on his face as he listened to the answer. "Well that certainly was a smart plan. Thank Max for his assistance. Do you have a patrol watching your house? Good…..take care. Yes, I'll tell Steve. Talk to you later." He pocketed his phone and grinned at McGarrett.

"Let me guess…..Kono had Max take them out of the hospital in his coroner's van," Steve chuckled. "Smart woman."

"She is indeed," Chin agreed. "She said Mahina and Nahele are fine and she now feels like she's a chaperone at a teen dance."

"I can only imagine," Steve laughed. "Kono is a brave woman and I really do appreciate what she is doing for the kids."

Chin nodded and headed into the kitchen. Steve looked at Mia, feeling her eyes on him. He moved to a nearby arm chair near the couch and sat down.

"I want to thank you for agreeing to this assignment Officer Palinka. Your presence here helped sell this op," Steve told her.

"I was flattered to have the chance to work with 5-0 Commander. I've done my share of undercover jobs with Narcotics, mostly busting high school and college drug rings so this sounded like a nice change of pace. I guess it pays to look young," Mia replied with a grin. "It definitely is an intriguing assignment."

"Tell that to my partner, he's convinced I'm trying to get him blown up," Steve told her with a wry smile.

It hit Mia that Commander McGarrett looked very handsome once he smiled. Not that he wasn't easy on the eyes when serious but the years dropped away when the man smiled. She had to remind herself that she was just a Narcotics officer and a man like McGarrett was bound to have a woman in his life.

"Det. Williams seems to have a rather cynical outlook on police work," Mia observed, hoping she wasn't overstepping her bounds.

"Danny is a good cop, he just feels better when he can complain," McGarrett said with a chuckle. "It's how he blows off steam. He may appear to be disrespectful but when push comes to shove, he's there when I need him. You just have to tune out the rants, I do."

"I wonder if that will work in my stressful situations." Mia said wistfully.

"Only if you have an understanding superior," Steve advised with a wink.

"I will remember that," Palinka conceded. She reached into the backpack she had brought with her and withdrew her weapon and a novel. "I think I'll read for a while, it works better than a nap for me."

"Sounds like a plan," Steve agreed. He rested his head against the chair back and let his whole body relax. He wasn't likely to sleep but he had learned how to relax while waiting without losing awareness.

*H 5-0*

As his detail piled out of their squad cars and headed into HPD, Duke hung back with Officer Tim Chan. He had briefed Chan on his suspicions about Sparks and the older man was ready to help Lukela trap the mole. They followed Todd as he pulled out his phone and headed directly for the locker room. Quietly the two men entered behind him, glad the place was empty and that Sparks' locker was in a back corner.

They could hear a couple of chirps and knew their target had sent a text. That was followed shortly by Spark speaking in a low voice. Nodding to Chan, Duke moved closer, his hand resting on the butt of his gun.

"Hey Conrad…..did you get the address? Great….oh yes, McGarrett's there, Lukela introduced me to the man. The other three men are there too. The chick? No, she is probably visiting her jailbird hubby," Sparks could be heard saying. "The house is small, living room across the front, kitchen is on the left, going all the way to the back. The right side has a hall with bedrooms and bathroom off it."

There was a long pause as Sparks listened to the man on the other end of the phone.

"Okay…..I'm off duty tomorrow. I'd be glad to help you plant them. It's a great plan Conrad, good luck tonight. Call me tomorrow," Sparks said and everything became quiet.

Duke looked at Chan and when the other man nodded, they moved forward to block the exit from the locker room. Sparks looked surprised as he rounded the lockers and found the two men standing in front of him.

"Officer Sparks, do you have some information you'd like to share with us?" Duke asked mildly.

"Me? Uh…..no Sarge….what do you mean?" Todd stuttered, his face flushing.

"I mean you just called someone to confirm the safe house's location. Who is Conrad and why does he need to know if 5-0 is there or not? Why does he need the house's layout?" Duke asked. "And just what are you planning on planting tomorrow?"

"I never said anything like that," Sparks denied.

Officer Chan held up his phone, showing Sparks it was still recording.

"You're caught Sparks, there is no wiggling out of this," Duke said gravely. "It would be in your best interest to come clean and name names."

For one brief instant Sparks considered shoving both men aside and making a run for it but Sgt. Lukela had his hand on his weapon and that made him reconsider. Todd had no desire to die for Conrad Brickman's cause. He had been careful with his money and saved a lot. He could afford a very good lawyer and if he kept his mouth shut he might be able to skate on some of the heavier charges. Raising his hands, he smiled smugly at Duke.

"I'm not talking without a lawyer."

"Cuff him Chan, I'm sure 5-0 will enjoy talking to him once they return from the safe house. Sorry Sparks, McGarrett will decide when you get a lawyer, this is 5-0's case so it's their rules," Duke informed him with pleasure.

All the color drained from Todd Sparks' face but he kept his mouth shut. He was prepared to keep faith that Conrad would come through for him once this was behind them. He couldn't let himself believe that Conrad would be caught by 5-0.

Duke waited for a response and then nodded to Chan, who stepped forward to cuff his fellow officer after turning off the phone's recorder. He quickly cuffed Sparks and smiled at Duke.

Moving closer, Duke patted Sparks down and extracted two phones from his pockets. As Chan escorted Todd from the locker room, Duke studied the phones and shook his head. Dirty cops made his stomach churn but at least they had caught this one red-handed. Taking both phones he headed to his captain's office to bring him up to speed.

*H5-0*

Steve had enjoyed some time to relax, mentally reviewing strategy that might be useful later that night. His phone buzzing snapped him back to alertness.

"McGarrett," he responded as Mia set her book down and Chin looked up from the motorcycle magazine he had been reading. "Hey Duke, that is great news. Okay….the techs are going over the burner phone? Good. Thanks for the info, we will be on guard."

After pocketing his phone, Steve gave his companions a grim smile.

"We are in business. Duke arrested Sparks after he gave someone called Conrad our location and a description of the house's floor plan," he told them.

"So we are right, Brickman is behind this," Chin commented.

"It is too much of a coincidence for it to be another Conrad. Duke took two phones off of him, one was a disposable. The techs are trying to create a timeline for the calls he made on it which are to only one other number. I'm willing to bet it is one of the phones stolen in the electronics store robbery," Steve related. "Sparks has requested a lawyer and is refusing to talk until he has one."

"He is hoping to ride this out," Chin guessed. "We should look into his financials. He hasn't been sharing information for free," he added and headed to a table where a laptop sat. "I'll do some digging." He went to work, looking for unusual deposits in the man's bank accounts.

"Duke said he overheard Sparks offering to "plant" something tomorrow and then wished Conrad luck for tonight," Steve added.

"Oh goody…so they definitely plan to blow us up tonight," Danny's voice came from the hallway entrance. "So we should prepare for some fireworks after dark," he continued, a grim look on his face. "I hope you are happy Steven."

End chapter.

 **Again I thank you for reading. At least the gang knows they are coming.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Runaway Witness XXII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0.**

 **Thanks to all who have reviewed. Guests, I am sorry I can't reply to you if you don't sign in.**

Chapter 22

"As a matter of fact I am happy Danny, it is time to get this over with," Steve answered. "We know they are coming so lighten up, it will be over by morning."

"So Sparks doesn't want to talk? Maybe Duke should put him in the blue room," Danny suggested as he took the seat that Chin had abandoned.

"Duke said he requested a lawyer, won't talk without one. He is finding reasons to delay calling the lawyer until we can question him," Steve replied. He studied Danny carefully before speaking again. "Would you like to go question him? The rest of us can hold down the fort."

Danny stared at him in surprise and then shook his head.

"No, let's let Sparks stew for a while. He deserves that for throwing in with these crazies. You're going to need me here," he said firmly.

Steve smiled, the relief that Danny was over his earlier rant showing on his face. He knew Williams often reacted dramatically to things but once that blew over the shorter man was all business.

"Thanks Danno."

"No problem…..but if I get blown up Grace is never going to forgive you."

"Now there's a threat that really does scare me," Steve chuckled. "I will do everything in my power to make sure you don't get blown up."

Danny waved a hand as he looked out the window to the street beyond. He knew Steve's plan was sound and now that everything was in motion, he was committed to seeing it through.

"Commander, when do you think they'll strike? Should we expect them shortly after nightfall or are they likely to wait until after midnight, in the early morning hours?" Mia asked.

"I wish I had an answer Officer Palinka. I would guess later, after midnight but I can't be sure."

"Please…..call me Mia, if that's okay?"

"It is, we aren't stuck on formality in this group," Steve said with a slight grin.

"Of course we aren't…..he insists on using my daughter's nickname for me all the time," Danny grumbled. "We're a pretty relaxed group Mia."

"This situation has us all in the same boat so you are part of the team for now," Steve told her with a quick nod.

"I'll do my best to hold up my end," Mia promised.

"You'll do fine," Danny assured her as they all settled in for the worst part of a stakeout….the waiting.

*H 5-0*

Just after midnight, two dark panel vans parked two streets over from the cul-de-sac where the safe house sat. Keawe Akina was behind the wheel of one of his old flower vans that he had spray painted black, the plates deliberately paint spattered to make reading the numbers difficult. Behind him Conrad Brickman had parked a similar van that had once been on his construction company's books. Dirt covered portions of its license plates. Both vehicles had been the method of transport in the robberies that had supplied the makings of the pipe bombs. There were now two bombs, each in a backpack, sitting in the vans. Conrad was accompanied by Bernard Driver and a young man who worked at his construction company, a buddy of his son Nelson named Luther. Malcom had chosen to ride with Keawe and one of Akina's employees named Cyrus. It had been Cyrus, Luther, Nelson and Lon Keller who had carried out the robberies with Conrad and Malcom operating as drivers and lookouts.

"Conrad…I'm not comfortable with these guns, I've told you that before," Bernie fussed as Brickman and Luther picked up the modified rifles.

Conrad rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Okay….you stay here. Protect our rides…..you can handle that, can't you?" he snapped, not wanting to waste time arguing.

"I can do that," Bernie agreed in relief.

"Just be ready to drive out of here quickly if we need to. I swear that if you bail on us….I'll find you and shoot you myself," Conrad promised.

"I won't let you down," Bernard whispered.

Conrad exited the van followed by Luther who carried the backpack. Both Luther and Cyrus had been trained to set the timers by Malcom and they would set the bombs at the safe house.

Malcom, Keawe and Cyrus joined them, all three heavily armed and Cyrus toting the second backpack. Everyone was dressed in dark clothing that they had kept stored in the warehouse in anticipation of planting the bombs in their original plan.

"We should split up, plant one bomb at the back of the house and one in the front," Conrad addressed the group. "They may have part of the team patrolling outside so stay sharp. There's only the four men and the girl."

"Cyrus and I will take the front," Malcom said. "I'm assuming Bernie has chickened out and will wait with the vans," he added with a sneer.

"Bernie is useless in the field, he'll keep an eye on the vehicles," Conrad confirmed. "He's done his part, he's poured a lot of money into this operation. So Keawe, you and Luther set the one in the back, I'll go with Mal and Cyrus around to the front."

"Why?" Malcom challenged.

"Because there is a greater risk of HPD showing up out front. Two people protecting Cyrus' back while he plants that backpack makes sense," Conrad pointed out.

"At least you have one good idea," Malcom nodded. "I would love one more shot at McGarrett if I can get it. Don't hassle me about that."

Conrad shrugged, he wanted revenge on the McGarrett family for Tommy but he was fine with Malcom taking the lead. He had no trouble letting Jamar do the blood-letting when it came to the Commander. As long as McGarrett died, he'd be happy since that was the outcome he desired all along. He didn't need to do it himself.

"Go for it Mal…..I won't stand in your way," Conrad said generously. "You kill him or the bombs do, I get what I want. This will be the perfect test run for tomorrow night. We'll be able to see just how much damage they cause. It will determine the best places to plant them to do maximum damage. That will give Carson's call for greater, proper police action some support which is our main goal."

"Fine, then let's move before someone around here gets suspicious and calls the cops," Malcom said tersely. "I just want this over with."

"Okay," Conrad agreed. He turned to Keawe. "Remember the photos we studied on the computer. There is wooded cover behind the house, Check the area carefully in case 5-0 is hiding in it."

"We'll be careful," Keawe nodded. "We're going to get in and get out quickly. Right Luther?"

"Sure thing," Luther nodded but he looked a bit nervous. He hoped he hadn't gotten in over his head with these guys. It didn't help that Nelson had bailed and was now on the North Shore hanging with a girlfriend.

"Give us a couple of minutes head start," Malcom instructed and then led the way through yards, staying close to the shrubbery and trees. The homes in this neighborhood were well tended with lots of landscaping to provide cover. Conrad and Cyrus were forced to hurry to keep pace.

Keawe and Luther waited a few minutes and then headed at an angle through the yards to reach the woods that were behind the cul-de-sac two streets over. Keawe led the way, cautiously watching for any strange shadows in the dark.

*H 5-0*

While the bombers were organizing a couple blocks over, 5-0 was having their own meeting. Steve had been wearing a dark polo shirt and dark grey pants but the others had brought their go bags and had changed into dark clothing.

"I'm feeling much better about being outside…..not being a sitting duck," Danny announced as he rolled his charcoal grey dress shirt sleeves up to mid-forearm after clipping his holster to the belt of his black dress slacks.

"Do you ever dress casually?" Lou asked as he eyed the Jersey detective. Like Chin, he wore a dark T-shirt and dark jeans.

"This is casual. I'm very casual…..I no longer wear a tie," Danny protested. He looked at Mia. "Don't I look casual?"

"I think you look as casual as you are capable of," Mia replied trying to keep a straight face.

"You certainly know how to tread a fine line there Mia. You should go far in the ranks," Danny chuckled.

"Just remember your TAC vest Danno," Steve interrupted as he reached for his. The buzz of his phone made him pull that out instead. He read the incoming text with a serious face. "Okay…..the team in the woods has heard some noise up on their end. Looks like our group may be here. Let's get out there, make sure your earpieces are on."

"Chin and I will cover the back," Lou said looking at Kelly for confirmation. Chin nodded and leaned over to pick up his shotgun after adjusting his vest.

"Okay, Danny and I will go out front. Everyone be careful. Mia, move around the room, let your shadow show on the shades. Stay alert and be ready to get out of the house if they manage to plant a bomb," Steve instructed.

"I will," Mia answered with a determined smile. She had the utmost confidence in McGarrett and his team and had no issue with remaining inside the house. She picked up her weapon and nodded to McGarrett. "I'll hold down the fort."

"Good," Steve stated and looked at Danny as he finished strapping on his vest. "Ready partner?"

"You bet. Anything is better than sitting around here…..no offense Mia. I've been going stir crazy waiting," Danny responded as he picked up his AK-47 and headed for the door.

Shaking his head and grinning, Steve followed Danny to the door as Mia turned off the ceiling light and left the three table lamps burning. Chin and Lou had already disappeared out the back kitchen door. They had moved to opposite corners of the back of the house, using the shrubbery for cover.

Steve and Danny slipped outside quickly so that the light didn't expose them. There was a copse of trees near the curb at the corner of the property that they headed for to observe the front of the house. The cul-de-sac was silent, no other house on the street had lights on. The street was sparsely lit with street lights and the moon was at a crescent so the night was dark. The two men stood back to back so they could watch the whole area.

Aware that they had eyes in the two nearest houses, it was no surprise when a voice in their earpieces announced there was some movement spotted behind the house to the right of their position. They believed that two men were headed towards the front of the house Mia occupied.

"See anything?" Steve asked Danny who was facing that way.

"No…uh….wait, yes," Danny whispered back. "One….no there are two figures. They're armed and it looks like one has some sort of bag."

"We figured they'd use the rifles they stole," Steve whispered back. He turned to observe over Danny's shoulder. "That looks like a backpack to me."

"Perfect method of transporting pipe bombs," Danny hissed.

"You've got that right. We can't let them get that thing triggered. Lou, Chin, we have two perps with a backpack. Keep an eye out," Steve asked softly. "You two okay?"

"No sign of anyone yet but there is some noise in the woods near Lou's position," Chin's voice came quietly over the earpiece.

"Stay sharp."

"Will do," Kelly answered.

"Steve," Danny breathed to alert his partner. The two figures were now moving to the corner of the house and one was crouching near the front window. Mia's silhouette was on the window shade.

"Go…..go around wide right. You come from that side, I'll come in from the other," Steve said under his breath.

With a nod, Williams headed to the street and then into the neighboring yard using the decorative shrubs to shield him from the two perps. Steve headed back to the house, heading for a large clump of Palm grass that was planted near the front door. He kept a close watch on the two figures, one standing and looking out at the street as the other worked at the backpack. McGarrett could see Danny getting closer, so far unnoticed by the two at the house's foundation. The hairs at the back of his neck prickled as he was about to move forward and then the cold metal of a gun muzzle pressed into the back of his neck.

"Don't move Commander," a voice warned harshly.

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading. Looks like Malcom has his chance for revenge on McG. Will he get away with it?**


	23. Chapter 23

**Runaway Witness XXIII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Never have and never will.**

 **Thanks so much to all who are still reading this story. Remember that reviews are the only reward that writers get.**

Chapter 23

Steve froze, knowing he couldn't duck fast enough to avoid a bullet. Danny was too far away to help in time and his hands were full with the two perps by the house. However, Steve did know this wasn't hopeless.

"Shooting me in the back won't help you. There is HPD in the houses on either side of us. You're going to jail no matter what you do," Steve said calmly, knowing his words were going out to the whole team. He could see Danny hesitated, look his way but he was too close to his targets to stop and help.

"Shut up," Malcom hissed. "They won't do anything as long as I have you."

"HPD doesn't bargain in hostage situations like this. My team won't stand for it," Steve replied, hoping his group understood the circumstances.

Malcom jabbed the barrel harder against the base of Steve's skull.

"Just shut up and do what I say," he growled.

Steve stood still assessing the situation. He felt he could get the advantage if he played this right. It occurred to him that this person was most likely the same one who had broken into his house the other night. Since this wasn't Brickman's voice that left Malcom Jamar as the most probable suspect. And if it was Jamar, he had military training.

McGarrett could hear the officers from the houses announce they were moving in and two shadows were coming up behind Danny who had halted a few feet from the two figures near the house foundation. One of those figures had been standing guard but had bent over to talk to the one kneeling by the backpack.

"This is over, your friends are going down," Steve commented to the man behind him as Danny could be heard ordering the two to drop their weapons and move away from the backpack. The two HPD officers were backing him up.

"Just step back now. Don't make a wrong move," Malcom ordered.

"Shooting me won't get you out of here. HPD will stay back at first, but not long," Steve said quickly, hoping that the others understood that he wanted them to stay away for now.

"Everyone hold back," a female voice sounded in his ear. "I've gone out a side window and I'm closer to the Commander than any of you. Give him a chance to handle this," Mia continued softly.

Seeing the flurry of activity at Danny's location, Steve took a small step back as instructed when he felt the pressure of the gun barrel lessen.

"Ready for whatever move you make Steve," Mia acknowledged quietly in his ear.

Malcom glanced over where both Cyrus and Conrad were surrendering to the cops. This whole plan was going up in smoke and unless Keawe and Luther managed to set off their bomb quickly, it was over. That meant that if was now every man for himself and Malcom had no intention of going down with the sinking ship. McGarrett was his ticket out of this mess.

Steve felt the gun muzzled shift as his gunman took a step backward. Knowing that the arrests Danny was making was acting as a distraction, he knew he had to move now. Dropping down, he twisted around to sweep the legs of his opponent out from under him with his right leg. Caught by surprise, Malcom fell and the rifle fell out of his hands and into the palm grass clump as he tried to break his fall. From his knees Steve twisted bringing his handgun to bear on his assailant. Malcom kicked out and hit Steve's right wrist, sending the gun flying.

Ignoring the deep ache in his thigh and shoulder muscles which were now aggravated, Steve jumped on his assailant to try and subdue him.

"Give it up Jamar," he hissed as he finally got a good look at the man.

"No way McGarrett," Malcom panted as he punched out at Steve.

Rounding the palm grass clump, Mia was presented with the sight of two men struggling on the ground. It was impossible to get a shot off without the risk of hitting both men or hitting the wrong man. She stayed at the ready waiting for them to separate and give her a clear target.

Malcom knew McGarrett had a shoulder injury and he put his energy into striking Steve as hard as he could in the left shoulder. Gritting his teeth as he straddled Jamar for a moment, Steve shoved his right forearm against the man's throat, hoping to cut off his oxygen and subdue him. Abandoning his efforts to strike McGarrett, Malcom reached for the knife he had sheathed at his belt. Bucking his hips up, he threw Steve off balance and was able pull the knife free.

"Now you die," Mal promised. His sole purpose was to make sure that the Commander did not survive this fight.

"Not happening," Steve grunted as he grabbed Jamar's right wrist with both hands. Malcom wrapped his left hand around Steve's right wrist, attempting to force the blade towards McGarrett's throat. Twisting once more Steve landed halfway on top of Jamar and began to force the blade back towards Malcom's chest. The struggled continued and finally Steve began to gain the advantage, twisting the blade so it aimed for Jamar's gut.

Shifting from one foot to the other, Mia kept her weapon aimed at the pair still unable to get a clear shot at Malcom. She could see the strain in both men's arms as they fought for control of the knife. Steve took a deep breath and put every bit of his remaining strength into driving the blade into his opponent's body. With an audible crack, Jamar's wrist went limp and the knife slide deep into the man's stomach.

"No…." Malcom cried out and pushed McGarrett away with his left arm. He wrenched the knife free with his left hand. Slashing out, he cut Steve on his right forearm as he reached for Malcom. Steve pulled back and Malcom roared as he continued to try to stab McGarrett. A shot rang out and Jamar fell backward, shot in the chest.

Steve rolled away from the body, panting and looked up at Mia.

"Nice shot Palinka," he told her.

"Thank you Steve, I thought we were using first names. I hope I didn't over-step things when I told the cops to back off."

"Nope, you did good Mia," Steve answered as he sat up.

Sounds of gunfire at the back of the house had Steve shoving himself to his feet and doing a quick search for where his Sig had fallen. Finding it, he grabbed it and was about to follow the two officers and Mia to the backyard when he looked over at Danny.

"Danny, have you got this?"

"We're good," Williams yelled back while supervising his two prisoners being handcuffed. Steve headed after the others and Danny turned to glare at Brickman, telling him to shut up. He then sent one of the officers to call in the bomb squad to come claim the backpack.

Arriving at the back of the house, they discovered Lou standing over the body of Keawe Akina as Chin was cuffing a young man. The team from the wooded area burst into the backyard moments later.

"Get the bomb squad, this idiot triggered the backpack before he set it down," Chin said urgently.

"They may have transportation out of here nearby, start checking the streets around here," Steve ordered quickly. The two from the woods took off in opposite directions as one of those who had arrived with McGarrett ran to get the bomb squad. No one wanted to radio and possibly trigger the bomb.

"Looks like we'll be ordering flowers from a new florist," Lou said looking down at Akina's body. "That's a damn shame but he started shooting the moment I stepped in the open."

"You hurt?" Steve asked.

"Naw….he was a bad shot."

"Shouldn't we be getting away from that thing?" the remaining HPD officer asked nervously.

"Go ahead," Chin told him. "It reads twenty-five minutes, I don't think it will blow before that. I guess they were giving themselves plenty of time to flee the scene."

Luther hung his head, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes.

"Uh…..Steve, you are bleeding," Mia pointed out.

"I'll be fine," Steve answered as he clamped his left hand over the gash on his arm. The throbbing was beginning to increase now that the adrenalin died down. "It's not bad."

"I'll bet you say that about every injury," Mia said with a sharp laugh. "Let's call an ambulance and get you looked at."

"Bring the kid around front, we've got questions that need answering," Steve told Chin as sirens could be heard nearing and a bomb squad team came around the corner. Lou walked next to Steve as they all began to head to the front of the house, leaving the bomb squad to deal with the backpack. Looking at McGarrett's arm, he could see the blood flowing from between the man's fingers. Mia hurried ahead to brief the EMTs as to Steve's injury.

Reaching into his pocket, Grover pulled out a handkerchief and grabbed Steve's arm, pressing the cloth to it with his large hand.

"You're damned lucky I'm old school McGarrett, my mama always told me to be sure to carry a handkerchief. Palinka's right, you're bleeding enough to be concerned."

"It was Jamar. He certainly did want me to bleed," Steve said through gritted teeth. With the pain increasing at the cut site and joining that of his shoulder and leg, Steve let Lou keep the pressure on his arm, leaning on his support.

"And is Jamar still breathing? I missed what was going on since Chin and I had our own crisis to deal with," Lou enquired.

"I stabbed him…Mia shot him."

"Sounds good to me. Having that little girl on the job sure paid off. Well will you look at that…..an ambulance is already here. I'm thinking that Duke knows us too well," Grover announced as he guided McGarrett towards the curb.

Steve chuckled as they walked and Danny rushed over to see what was going on.

"Okay Superman, just what happened this time?" he asked fussily.

"Jamar cut me," Steve replied tersely.

"Is he dead?"

"Yes."

"Good," Danny huffed. "By the way….you should hear Brickman whining about how this is a big mistake. He's caught red-handed but still thinks he can talk his way of if it. He sure can bluster."

"Let's hope that he is willing to tell us what we want to know." Steve growled.

The EMTs came and took over, insisting that Lou and Danny step back while they treated him. Danny glanced at the coroner's van that was now pulling up. Within minutes Max was organizing the gurneys to transport the bodies to the morgue. Danny looked back at Lou.

"There were only two bombs here…where do you suppose the others are?"

"We don't have the whole group. My guess is Brickman and Jamar were the leaders but these young guys might know where they are stored."

"The kids may be easier to break but do they know the entire plan or how big this group is?" Danny questioned.

"They are bound to give us more leads if they don't know everything," Chin chimed in as he joined them. "The kid I cuffed was scared out of his mind. Brickman might not be talkative but his son may give us more."

"Did we find Nelson Brickman?" Lou asked.

"Yes we did. I got word just as this all was about to go down. They located him on the North Shore by Kawela. He should be at HPD by now. And guess what…..he has a healing bullet graze on his arm. It looks like Steve did hit him," Chin said with a satisfied smile.

"I'm betting we can use the son against the father," Danny suggested. "If Conrad sent him away then he's concerned about his boy. That can be useful leverage."

"We should also bring in Bernard Driver for a chat about all this. He's the only member of the golf foursome that doesn't appear to be present tonight. With Jamar and Akina dead and Brickman less likely to talk, he may be our best source of information," Grover stated.

"We'll find him, we have to know where the other bombs are. We need to shut down the island in case he tries to leave," Danny said.

"I'm on it," Chin said pulling out his phone. He stepped away to call HPD and arrange to have Bernard Driver's name and face out as a person of interest and to not allow him to leave the island. "Okay…..that is done," he said moments later. "They will also make sure he doesn't have his own plane or boat."

"Good work Chin," Steve said as he joined the others, his forearm swathed in white gauze. "We need to stop this before those bombs can be set off."

End chapter.

 **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Runaway Witness XXIV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I can only hope that season 7 gives me lots of ideas to write about.**

 **Thanks for sticking with the story.**

Chapter 24

"And how are you doing Steven?" Danny asked eyeing the thick bandage on Steve's forearm.

"They say I need to go in for stitches," Steve admitted reluctantly.

"Then why are you standing here?"

"Because I'm not going anywhere until I know that bomb is defused," Steve responded.

"All clear Commander," one of the bomb squad members announced as they rounded the house carrying the backpack.

"See…..now you can go to the ER and get your stitches," Danny said with a wave of his hand. "The rest of us can mop up here."

With a heavy sigh, Steve nodded. He hated wasting time in the ER but his arm was throbbing and he knew it needed to be seen to properly. They had managed to stop this night's attack dead in its tracks but he knew that there were more bombs and weapons out there and an unknown number of people involved. It was also vital to learn how much Carson Makenna knew about what his supporters were doing.

"Okay but I want to talk to Brickman. We know there's an event planned for tomorrow so it's imperative we know who is left to carry it out," Steve ordered.

"We will, now go have your arm tended to. Be a good boy and call when they've patched you up, someone will come get you," Lou told him. 'We're good here."

"Go Steve," Chin added.

"Okay…..okay," Steve said holding up his left arm which triggered the pain in that shoulder brought on by the punches Malcom had landed during their struggle. He headed for the ambulance without further protest, stopping to thank Mia for her help.

The rest of the team met with Max and his team who were collecting the bodies of Malcom Jamar and Keawe Akina. They also watched as HPD readied their living prisoners to HPD and a special trip for Conrad Brickman to the interrogation room at headquarters. No one noticed a dark van that exited a side street two blocks over and carefully drove away.

*H 5-0*

Bernard Driver sat behind the wheel of Brickman's van and heard gunshots. He turned over the engine and with headlights out….began to turn the vehicle around and prepared to leave the neighborhood. He didn't care what Conrad had told him, he was going to save his own neck. The other van was still there with the keys in it so Bernie felt he wasn't totally abandoning his friends. It was imperative he find a safe way for his family to leave the island. With his stomach churning, he headed back to the warehouse where his car waited. He had to get out as fast as possible. He turned on the headlights as soon as he was safely out of that neighborhood.

*H 5-0*

Three hours later a very edgy Steve McGarrett was picked up outside the ER by Chin and they headed back to headquarters.

"I can't believe it took so long to get out of there. Just eight stitches and it took three hours," he growled at Chin.

"You weren't critical Steve. They've handled you faster in the past when you were needing more than a few stitches," Chin said trying to keep a straight face. "There was an ugly three car crash on the H1 that kept them busy."

"I know," Steve acknowledged, cooling down. "Sorry, I just wish they understood that I had important business to get back to. We have bombs out there that could still go off."

"I hear you brah. So far Luther Maki and Cyrus Jackson are scared but not talking. They're at HPD. Luther is pretty shaky though, I think he will be easy to crack. Nelson Brickman is playing the "confused and dumb" card but he may be the key to getting his dad to talk," Chin added.

"That makes sense," Steve nodded. "I love leverage."

"It always works in our favor," Chin agreed with a chuckle.

"Good. We need the location of those remaining pipe bombs. We don't know who else is available to set them off."

"We have HPD checking Driver's house but he's not there. They also are checking all of Jamar and Akina's property holdings as well as Brickman's. One of them has to have a place where those bombs are sitting."

"Excellent," Steve nodded. "Something will shake loose soon."

"I called Kono, told her I think that the threats to the kids are over. She was tired but grateful. Nahele has been crashing on her couch and Mahina in her spare room."

"I checked in while waiting for my stitches. She said no one has come sniffing around the house. My guess is that Mahina is no longer important to this group but I suggested that she keep Mahina for the time being," Steve responded. "Nahele can get off her couch though. It's time he go home to his foster family."

"Have you ever thought about keep Nahele with you until he's eighteen? He already sees you as a big brother, it wouldn't take much to have him look on you as a father figure," Chin suggested.

Steve sat silently for a moment then nodded slightly.

"It has crossed my mind, especially when his dad died. But he's comfortable with the Olakaua's. They're an older couple and he is their only foster right now. He likes them. My life is a bit dangerous. Look what he could have been exposed to when Jamar broke into my house the other night. He's safer where he is," Steve commented quietly.

"I see your point," Chin acknowledged. "It's a good thing that you've stayed in his life. He benefits from it Steve."

"I won't abandon him," Steve said firmly. "Now we just need to get to the bottom of Mahina's foster home. That girl is frightened of something about that home and I intend to find out what."

"Lou and Kono are looking into it already. Talk to them after this mess is over. I'm sure you all can make that right for her," Chin said.

"I will…I promised her," Steve said quietly.

*H 5-0*

Once back at 5-0 headquarters, Steve and Chin were informed that Brickman had been in the interrogation room since he was brought in and was heard to be complaining and demanding a lawyer. At HPD Luther, Cyrus and Nelson were still not willing to talk and Todd Sparks had finally stopped asking for a lawyer but was refusing to say a word. So far HPD had not found Bernard Driver but his wife and daughter were not at home and there was evidence that they had packed some bags in a hurry.

"I think it is time that I talk to Mr. Brickman. What do you think Danny…..would you like to join me?" Steve asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yea….I'd love to talk to this scumbag," Danny said eagerly.

"All right. Chin, you and Lou go talk to Nelson Brickman and Todd Sparks. We'll let the two kids simmer awhile, I'm not sure they know all we need. Have Nelson ready to transfer if we need leverage with his father," Steve ordered.

"Sure thing Steve," Chin answered.

Conrad Brickman sat shackled to the lone metal chair awash in blue light and raised his head as the door buzzed loudly. He watched angrily as the 5-0 partners entered, looking alive and well while his friends were dead. Some of his anger was at Malcom because if he had done his job, McGarrett would be dead and 5-0 wouldn't have the upper hand. He had no idea what kind of defense he could present for getting caught at the safe house but with a good lawyer he could get bail and skip the islands before anyone noticed.

"Conrad Brickman…you were a very bad man tonight," Danny said walking up to him. "You thought that blowing us up would solve all your troubles? Let's start with where the other bombs are and who we didn't catch tonight."

"What bombs?"

"The ones like the ones in the backpacks you and your friends had tonight. You really can't be stupid enough to think you are walking on that charge," Danny pointed out.

"I have nothing to say to you," Conrad said belligerently. "I want a lawyer."

"We're 5-0 Mr. Brickman, we decide when you talk to a lawyer," Steve said mildly. He remained close to the door.

"And when he does, he'll have to shell out for two lawyers Steven. I would assume that given that whole "conflict of interest" business, they will need separate counsel," Danny said waving his hands as he twisted back to look at his partner. McGarrett grinned and nodded.

"Two? What the hell are you talking about?" Conrad demanded.

"One for you and one for Nelson of course," Danny said swinging back to their prisoner. "Oh…..did we forget to mention that Nelson was arrested last evening near Kawela?"

Conrad snorted, relaxing a bit.

"Nelson's not in Kawela, you're playing me," he sneered.

"Well that just shows how little you know your son. True, he was supposed to be with his girlfriend in Sunset Beach. But the kids decided to go to a party in Kawela and Nelson got careless…he was stopped for speeding. The officer recognized him from a photo we had issued and after checking his driver's license, he was arrested," Danny informed him cheerfully.

All color drained from Conrad's face at Danny's words. He shook his head in denial.

"You are lying."

"I'm sure you want to believe that but Danny's telling you the truth," Steve said moving forward and holding out his phone with a photo of Nelson's arrest picture. "Your son also has a gunshot wound on his arm that I'm pretty sure he acquired when I shot him a couple days ago. It doesn't take a genius to figure who made up that hunting party that came after me and a couple of innocent kids."

"You can't prove that."

"You'd be surprised what we can prove," Steve began, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. He retreated to it as Chin opened it, looking in. They exchanged quiet words and then Steve nodded and turned back towards Brickman. The door closed behind him.

"Chin had some good news?" Danny asked.

"He did indeed," Steve said smiling widely. "HPD just picked up Bernard Driver trying to leave Oahu on his private jet. They are bringing him in as we speak and I'm willing to bet that he can be convinced to talk to save his hade. First one to open up gets the deal."

"No…..no, this can't be happening. You are lying," Conrad sputtered.

"Oh it's happening Brickman and I'm going to see you locked up. No one threatens innocent people with bombs or hunts down a young girl on my watch. It is all up to you how hard you land," Steve said, his stare intense and Conrad couldn't help flinching.

"I want a lawyer," he whispered.

"A lawyer really isn't going to help you now," Steve informed him. "Todd Sparks was caught red-handed texting you the safe house location. The burner phone we found on you has confirmed the text. You are not as smart at you think."

"Shall I go get Nelson?" Danny asked, rubbing his hands together.

Steve held up a hand as Brickman looked even more stricken.

"Not right now, I think we should give Conrad some time to think things over. Let's see how Chin and Lou's talk with Nelson went, maybe he's smarter than his father. And now we can talk to Mr. Driver as well. Hey Danny….do you think we should also pay a visit to Carson Makenna? Maybe he's tied up in the middle of this somewhere," Steve said smoothly, enjoying how uncomfortable Brickman grew with every word. He wasn't sure if that indicated that Makenna was aware of the plot but they would need to question the candidate. Steve also guessed by Conrad's reaction that Driver might really be the weak link in this group. There was a good chance that he would be the easiest to break. "Come on Danny, let's go do some interviewing."

"Sounds like fun," Danny agreed.

"Wait!" Conrad called out as the two turned to leave. "I want to talk to Nelson. I need to see my son."

"You…do not get to make demands. You…..are in a boatload of trouble and your boat has sprung a leak. You can't talk to your son and you can't talk your way out of this," Danny said looking at him sternly. "You are going to sit here and think about what you've done wrong. What you say can determine how long you stay in Halawa. Personally I think it's going to be your permanent home."

End chapter.

 **Thank you very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Runaway Witness XXV**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. No profit is made off of any of my writing.**

 **Real life loves to mess with posting schedules. Oh well…..it is what it is.**

Chapter 25

Steve and Danny let the door slam shut on tier prisoner while he continued to demand to see his son.

"He certainly is worried about that boy. Do you think Nelson might not be as tough as his father? Maybe the kid is our best source of information," Danny said as they entered the elevator to head upstairs.

"You could be right," Steve agreed. "Let's hope that Chin and Lou can get something out of him. But I want to talk to Bernard Driver. It appears he is the only one in this mess who didn't want to get his hands dirty. He may fold faster and know more." He reached out to change the elevator control to the main floor.

"Sounds like a plan," Danny nodded. "Driver could prove to be a very interesting interview."

"We need to get over to HPD and find out," Steve said and headed for the exit after leaving the elevator.

*H 5-0*

Bernard Driver sat in a small room at HPD in handcuffs that were attached to the table through a metal loop and he was sweating profusely. He had been able to avoid the cops as he went back to the warehouse to collect his car. He had taken time to call his wife and told her to pack a bag for each of the family and to head for the private airfield where his jet was located. After that he called his pilot and told him to get to the airfield immediately as he went inside the warehouse to collect some cash that he knew was there for emergencies. Getting in his car Bernard then took a winding route to the airfield to be sure he wasn't being followed. All that care had been pointless when he discovered that HPD was waiting for him at the plane and arrested him in front of his wife and daughter. Since then he had been left in this room and denied the chance to speak to his lawyer that his wife had contacted. It was exactly what he expected from 5-0 and their disregard of the letter of the law.

He was yanked from his thoughts as the door opened and Steve McGarrett walked in with Danny Williams right behind him.

"Mr. Driver, we understand you have some information that we need," McGarrett said stopping on the opposite side of the table.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I don't have the time or the patience to play games with you. We need to know where the pipe bombs are located and who else is involved in this plan to set them off," Steve said, glaring at the seated man. "If you insist on playing dumb you will be facing the same charges as Conrad Brickman and his son. Those charges will include the murder of Bruce Martin and the attempted murder of Mahina Okala and myself. And of course there is that plot to kill many more with those bombs."

"I…..I…..I wouldn't murder anyone," Driver protested.

"We know you're involved. Either that or you are the most clueless member of a golf foursome I've ever seen," Danny told him. "We checked, you are one of Carson Makenna's biggest financial supporters along with Brickman, Akina and Jamar."

"Donating to a political campaign is not illegal."

"Of course not. But Ms. Okala did overhear plans to scare voters, bombs would be very effective in that department. We caught Jamar, Akina and Brickman planting pipe bombs at a safe house they believed Ms. Okala was staying at. Jamar and Akina are dead Bernard," Steve said leaning across the table. "The weapons we took off them were matched to those stolen in some recent robberies. You were caught trying to flee the island in the middle of the night with no flight plan filed. That's very suspicious Mr. Driver. We have HPD searching all the known properties of those three men and we'll find the missing link to you."

Bernard shrank back from McGarrett, fighting down the bile that rose in his throat in fear. If they found the warehouse they would find his prints in the building and the van he had left. There was no one left to carry out their mission, they had gambled and lost….this was a major mess. He knew that if squeezed, Conrad would throw him to the wolves and protect himself and Nelson. Talking might be the only way to save his skin and cut a deal….after all he hadn't been present when Conrad killed Bruce.

"I want a lawyer," he stubbornly insisted.

"You can want a lot of things Driver. This is domestic terrorism that you are facing and the Governor has a very big interest in seeing this settled," Danny informed him. "Talk…..we may be able to cut you a deal."

Driver leaned back as far as he could and closed his eyes. He had no idea how much trouble he was in but he certainly didn't want a murder charge hanging over his head.

"I'll talk but only on the condition I don't face murder charges. I can tell you who killed Bruce," Bernie said stubbornly.

"You aren't the one making the deals," Steve said sharply. "Tell us the truth and we'll see what can be done for you."

"I need some assurances."

"If you don't help us then there are no deals. It's your choice Driver, talk or cross your fingers and pray," McGarrett said and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest.

The man almost crumbled before their eyes. He hunched forward, resting his forehead on his handcuffed wrists and his shoulders shook.

"Okay…..okay, I'll help. I never dreamed it would go this far. It just took on a life of its own," he said in a muffled tone.

"Just what was the point with the pipe bombs? Are you saying you didn't know people would die?" Danny asked angrily.

"Conrad and Malcom said we needed to make people see how 5-0 couldn't protect Hawaii, even with all the laws you break. People would rally to Carson's viewpoint, demanding that he fix it. We had to sell the point of how dangerous it was, there had to be collateral damage," Driver choked out, raising his head to look at them.

"That is the most convoluted thinking I have ever heard. Killing innocents to make a point that law and order is needed is sick," Danny pointed out.

"Okay….if you want a deal start telling us everything," Steve said abruptly. He was impatient to know the full extent of this plan. "Where are the bombs and who else is there to set them off?"

Driver looked McGarrett in the eye and let out a long shaky sigh. A lawyer was not going to save his neck now. He didn't have a law degree but with 5-0 digging into the other men's properties it was only a matter of time before they found the warehouse. Believing in Conrad's promises that no one would catch them he had been careless, he hadn't even wiped down the van after he left it at the warehouse. It was time to talk.

McGarrett pulled out his phone and started recording Driver's confession while Danny went to find someone official to take down what was said. The only time Bernard refused to answer a question was when asked if Carson Makenna was involved in the plans.

"I figured he would fold," Steve told Danny when they finally left the room.

"That you did. Chin and Lou should be done talking to Nelson Brickman and Todd Sparks, think they got as much as we did?" Danny asked.

"Probably not, they weren't the brains behind this operation. They might have picked up some valuable info to tie Makenna though. Duke and the bomb squad went to Akina's warehouse and will report back to us as to what they find," Steve said. "I think there will be a lot to connect the pieces once they are done."

"Don't you want to check that out yourself?" Williams asked in surprise.

"No…..I trust Duke. I want to have a second go at Conrad Brickman now that we've been told he killed Bruce Martin," McGarrett said with relish.

"We only have Driver's word that Brickman did that and he wasn't an eyewitness. The only ones left alive from that murder are Conrad, his son and Mahina. She didn't see faces and I'm willing to bet the kid won't rat out his father," Danny pointed out.

Steve smirked at Dany as he stopped by the Camaro's driver's door.

"But Brickman might confess if he thinks that Driver said Nelson did the killing," he replied. "The man struck me as a very concerned father."

A wide grin broke out over Danny's face as he got in the car.

"Now that is an idea of yours that I can get behind partner. I can't wait to see his face when you break that news to him. He needs that smug look wiped off his face. That scum honestly thought he needed to take innocent lives in bombings to sway an election. That makes me sick," Danny continued, feeling his anger spike again. He had wanted to punch someone when Driver had fully explained the whole plan. He couldn't wait to see Brickman squirm.

"I've encountered a lot of cruel, heartless people in my life. Seen a lot of violence against innocents but this plan takes the cake," Steve said shaking his head. "I can't imagine how a normal person would be willing to kill innocent people just to influence an election. I can understand not liking how 5-0 operates and wanting someone else in the Governor's mansion but to be willing to go to that extreme baffles me."

"Then let's go burst Brickman's bubble…..it will be fun," Danny said cheerfully.

Nodding, Steve started the car and headed back to 5-0 headquarters.

Chin and Lou beat Steve and Danny back to the office and were waiting when the two men arrived. The four gathered around the computer table and began comparing notes.

"Sparks is one stubborn SOB," Lou finally stated. "He refuses to talk even with all the information we have linking him to these crazies. All he would say is he wants a lawyer."

"Let him have one, he's going to need legal advice with what Driver told us. Bernie waived a lawyer once he got rolling and is hoping he can cut a deal for cooperating," Danny said.

"Sparks is nailed by the texts and phone records on his burner phone and Brickman's," Chin said bringing up the tech reports on the table. "He passed on everything in our investigation into Bruce Martin's murder that HPD knew and that included when you followed Mahina and Nahele."

"What did Nelson Brickman have to say?" Steve asked.

"The kid is scared out of his mind. He didn't say much, claimed he knew nothing….just did as he was told. I think he's holding out for his dad to save his sorry ass. I got the impression he knew more than he's saying, he had to catch himself a few times from continuing to speak," Lou told them and Chin nodded.

"According to Driver, it was Nelson, Keller and those two kids we arrested at the safe house that committed those robberies," Steve reported. "Evidently Brickman and Jamar cooked up this nasty plan to set off bombs to shove voters towards Makenna. As it progressed they decided there had to be casualties to make us look unable to protect Hawaii from terrorism even with our means and immunity. All the good we've done these last years meant nothing to them because they wanted their candidate elected at any cost," he said bitterly.

"The public is smarter than that. They wouldn't buy that story," Chin responded.

"The public believes what they want to believe if they are frightened," Steve said. "The plan was very extreme but I can see it working. If people are frightened enough and think they could be the next target they will grab onto the first person who claims they can fix it. This could have worked if they hadn't been so careless and Jamar hadn't tried to kill me which kept us digging."

"Okay…..I see what you are saying," Chin acknowledged. "Good thing we're smarter than they were."

"Yes we are," Steve agreed. "So now I want another shot at Mr. Brickman. I am sure we'll get an interesting reaction when we tell him we're charging Nelson with Bruce Martin's murder."

"That ought to shake the man up," Lou nodded.

"Well he did try to kill Mahina," Danny put in.

"And thankfully bungled that job. I want a confession from Brickman. I want the man to admit to all he set in motion," Steve growled and headed for the door. Danny hurried after him, ready to see how this played out.

*H 5-0*

Conrad's head jerked up as the door buzzed and once more McGarrett and Williams entered the blue lit room. This time it was McGarrett who led the way and it was clear he was in charge. Conrad sat straighter, bracing himself.

"All right Brickman…..Bernard Driver had a very interesting story to tell us. Now it's your turn to give us your version. If you choose to remain silent then we can only believe he's given us the truth. Based on Mr. Driver's story, we are going to book Nelson for Bruce Martin's murder and the attempted murder of Mahina Okala," Steve announced as he halted in front of the man, hands on his hips.

"Nelson didn't kill anyone."

"That's not what Driver said," Steve snapped out.

"He's lying!"

"Then you tell us the truth," Steve challenged. "You say everyone else is lying but you haven't given us a reasonable alternative. So far a lot of Driver's story checks out."

"Nelson is not a murderer," Conrad repeated.

"We do know for a fact that he is a thief. His body type fits that of one of the men on the security tapes of the recent robberies that gave you the bomb supplies. We have Driver's information on that and the location of where the bombs are stored. We also know that the remaining guns that were stolen and we didn't recover at the safe house are in your shed at home. Once we show our proof to Luther and Cyrus we are sure to get a confession," Steve said bluntly. "And I am sure one of them will be willing to say that Nelson was the one who pulled the trigger on Bruce Martin."

End chapter.

 **It looks like Steve has Conrad over a barrel. Thanks for reading.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Runaway Witness XXVI**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. Sad fact but true.**

 **I am now wrapping up this story. I will state that I am not a lawyer so anything law related has been from what I think makes sense and what I needed to fit my story. Please don't jump on me if I am wrong. Thank you.**

Chapter 26

"No…..Nelson did not shoot Bruce. That was Malcom," Conrad shouted. He had no problem blaming Malcom for Bruce's death, the man wasn't there to deny it. Bernie hadn't been present that night so he hadn't witnessed anything.

Steve looked at Danny with a smirk on his face. They had the handguns taken off the living and the dead and tests had been run on them immediately. Jamar's weapon that was taken from his body was not a ballistics' match to the bullet that had killed Bruce Martin.

"Your story needs a lot of work Conrad. Jamar's gun wasn't a match for the bullet that killed Martin," Danny said with a smug smile. "And please…..don't shift the blame to Keawe Akina next, his doesn't match either. Do you know what else, the gun we took off you didn't match either so I guess that leaves Nelson. What a shame….he is so young to end up spending his entire life in Halawa."

"No…it wasn't Nelson," Conrad protested. He had hidden the murder weapon in the back of his office safe but couldn't be sure 5-0 wouldn't open it. Being in the safe wouldn't clear Nelson, the boy knew the combination and had the freedom to come and go in Conrad's office. He was running out of ways to deflect guilt from Nelson and himself.

"If I can have a lawyer, I will tell you the whole story," Conrad finally murmured.

"You lawyer up and we only get the lawyer's version of the truth," Danny said in disgust. "That will not help Nelson."

"I want a lawyer for Nelson," Conrad said after a few seconds. He looked defeated. With a deep breath, he finally forced out the words he didn't want to say. "I killed Bruce. He was backing out of our plans, I couldn't trust him."

"And Nelson shot Mahina Okala," Steve said sternly. "He's going to do time but not as long as if you had let him take the fall for Martin. You'll get a lawyer and so will Nelson but just so you know, this conversation has been recorded so you can't deny it later." He watched the macho contractor visibly crumble as he realized what he had set in motion. Steve felt no sympathy for a man who had planned the deaths of many innocent people just to further a political campaign.

"So tell us Brickman, just what does Carson Makenna know about your nasty campaign strategy?" Danny enquired. "We haven't had the pleasure of talking to him yet."

"What did Bernie say?"

"Mr. Driver wasn't willing to discuss Mr. Makenna's connection. You could be the first to enlighten us," McGarrett said and waited for a response.

Conrad shifted uncomfortably in the chair. He had been sitting there all night with only two bathroom breaks but they had given him nothing to eat or drink. His stomach rumbled painfully and he very much wanted to leave this room.

"I don't know what Carson knows," he lied and licked his dry lips. "I just wanted him elected, Bernie is closer to him."

"You wanted Makenna elected, 5-0 put out of business and Steve dead," Danny pointed out. "That's a pretty big wish list."

"Malcom wanted McGarrett dead. He is the one who broke into his house," Conrad said able to say something true.

"You weren't crazy about Steve either Mr. Brickman, we know about your brother," Danny told him.

"I did nothing against you McGarrett…..except to follow your to the south side of the island. Malcom wanted that to happen, he wanted to shut the girl up," Conrad said quickly. "He's the one who broke into your house and tried to kill you. He also wanted to kill you at the safe house. He blamed you for Lon."

"So now we know Jamar's sins, Nelson's and yours. We need to know if anyone else is involved in this. Who is left to set off those bombs? Driver said no one else is left, can you confirm that?" Steve asked.

"No one else…..you've killed or caught everyone involved," Conrad said bitterly.

"Okay, we will have you transferred to HPD and then you can speak with a lawyer," Steve said brusquely and turned away. It had been a long night and he was feeling tired and sore. He also had all he could take of Conrad Brickman and his warped view of how elections should be controlled. The man disgusted him and Steve enjoyed hearing the door shut behind him.

"Hey babe….are you okay?" Danny asked noticing Steve's expression.

"I'm just tired Danny."

"We all are Steve and you have taken a beating these last few days. Why don't you go home, get some sleep. It's all a matter of mopping up now," Williams insisted as they rode up in the elevator.

"We still have work to do," Steve said shaking his head. "I have to call and bring the Governor up to speed."

"Well then call him and catch a nap on your couch in your office. If we need to run anything by you, I'll wake you up," Danny suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Steve nodded, wishing that were possible. "But at some point we're going to need to talk to Makenna."

"I'm willing to leave that to you, I hate dealing with politicians. Very few are going to give you an honest answer. Neither Driver or Brickman wanted to include him in this scheme," Danny replied.

"And they both looked like they were lying when they said it," Steve stated as they exited the elevator on their floor. "I'm willing to bet he knew but kept his distance."

"And how do we prove that?" his partner asked in confusion.

"Makenna is giving a speech on Tuesday, right?" Danny nodded at his statement. "We know Brickman was planning to plant bombs tonight according to what Duke heard Sparks say. How much do you want to bet there will be a mention of those bombs in Makenna's speech?" Steve asked.

"Are you saying his speech is already written? How do we get our hands on a copy to prove your point?" Williams enquired.

"To hell with a nap, we need to see Makenna now before the news reports the arrests we made. He is a politician, they always have their speeches prepared ahead and then fine tune them. He has to have a copy ready but we need to get there before he learns his supporters are in custody," Steve urged.

"And how do you intend to force him to show us a copy?"

"I'm going to call Ellie and see if she can get us a warrant from a judge to search Makenna's headquarters."

"We don't have solid evidence Steve. No one has named him a co-conspirator."

"We have circumstantial connections, homegrown terrorists who've confessed and possible election fraud. With the looser rules pertaining to terrorism, that alone should get us a warrant to at least check out Makenna's office," Steve said grimly. "We have to move fast but I want this by the book as much as possible. But I would use our means and immunity if it catches a candidate who is willing to get elected on the deaths of innocent citizens." He got out his phone and called Ellie.

*H 5-0*

Ellie was happy to do Steve this favor when he laid it all out for her. She knew exactly who to go to for the warrant and was right. The judge was willing to give 5-0 one once that he knew that it involved home-grown terrorism along with election tampering. The world was a changing place and some coincidences couldn't be ignored. Ellie collected the warrant and met Steve and the team outside Carson Makenna's campaign headquarters.

With a warrant in hand, Steve led his team inside the campaign office causing all activity to halt at the sight of 5-0. All the workers stopped to stare.

"We need to speak to Carson Makenna. For the time being no one touches a computer or shredder in this room until we have concluded our search," Steve ordered as he held up the warrant. "Chin, Lou….round everyone up, I don't want anyone hitting a delete key even by accident. Danny, let's see if the candidate is in his office," he added, nodding to a room with the blinds shut and the door shut.

Chin and Lou started quietly moving the workers to a conference room at the back of the room.

The door to Carson Makenna's opened and the candidate looked out in confusion when he heard the voices. He scowled when he saw 5-0 present. The handsome 58 year old man met McGarrett's eye and tried to plaster on a smile. It only ended up looking like a painful grimace.

"Commander McGarrett, can I assume you are not here to endorse my candidacy?" he enquired.

"Yes sir, you are right about that. I have a warrant to check your office for anything that connects you to a plot to set pipe bombs off in Honolulu. We've been told it was a plan to push voters in your direction."

"Are you crazy? You think I would be part of a plan to blow up this city? Is Denning behind this, is he trying to discredit me?" Makenna said in outrage.

"No sir, the Governor doesn't operate that way," Steve replied evenly. "We're here because we arrested Conrad Brickman and Bernard Driver who cooked up a plan to blow up a safe house last night where they thought we were holding a murder witness. When questioned they confessed to a plan to set of pipe bombs around Honolulu in an effort to sway the vote in your direction."

"That has to be the dumbest idea I've ever heard. How on earth would bombs make people vote for me? People could be killed with that idea," Makenna sneered.

"That was the general idea. People die, you claim that 5-0 with all our loose rules can't protect them and they all believe you have the answers. By the way…..no one said the idea wasn't dumb," Danny said as Chin sat at a computer and began a search.

"We know you have a speech planned for Tuesday. Give an advanced preview and it will clear up a lot of things," Steve told him mildly. He watched the man grip the doorknob and try to close off his office. "Det. Williams, why don't you take a look around Mr. Makenna's office? Be careful not to make a mess."

"You can't do this. You have no right to do this," Makenna protested.

"This warrant says we do," Steve said patiently. "The fact that terrorism was part of this plan it gives us more leeway than in the past. Now let Det. Williams into your office please."

Danny walked up to Makenna, grinning at the taller man. He motioned for Makenna to step aside which Carson did reluctantly when McGarrett cleared his throat. A visible trickle of sweat ran down the candidate's sideburns as he watched Williams start to explore his desk wearing evidence gloves.

"This really is outrageous McGarrett. This high-handedness is so typical of 5-0's habit of ignoring the laws," Carson sputtered. He knew what Williams would find. Carson knew that when the detective got to the bottom drawer he would find the burner phone that Driver had given him a couple weeks ago. He should have thrown that damn phone in the ocean when Bernie had called him to tell him that Brickman and Jamar were chasing McGarrett and a witness on the south side of the island. This whole hair-brained idea to scare people into voting for him should have been squashed at the beginning. He had hated it when the bombings went from targeting abandoned places to where the public was at risk but by then the men were not changing their minds. If Sam Denning hadn't had such a high approval rating…..he would never had approved such a plan.

Steve smiled coldly as he watched Makenna's reaction to Danny's search. It was a confirmation of his hunch and his smile widened when he saw Williams lift a folder and wave if after scanning the pages inside.

"Jackpot Steven, I've found a rough draft of Tuesday's speech," Danny announced as he headed out of the office. He paused by Makenna and smirked. "The beginning has a touching tribute to the innocent lives that were lost in the recent bombings. I won't go into what he says about 5-0 and you, Steve. Mr. Makenna, you have no respect for Commander McGarrett's service to his country," he scolded as he handed the folder to Steve. He then turned back to face the politician. "Carson Makenna, you are under arrest for conspiring to set off pipe bombs meant to take innocent lives. You have the right to remain silent and a right to a lawyer. One will be provided if you can't afford one. Personally I don't think the lawyer will help," Danny said taking out his cuffs. "Please put your hands behind your back."

"Nicely stated Danny," Steve grinned as Makenna obeyed.

"I'm even willing to book him. I love a happy ending. No bombs went off, the bad guys are caught and I'm still in one piece. I'd say it's a good day's work," Danny said happily.

"Chin, call in HPD to finish this search. Have them look for a phone, I have the feeling there's one here. Lou, send all the loyal workers home, they're out of business," Steve instructed. "Once everyone is dealt with and the search is done properly and by the book, you two go home and get some sleep. We've put in a long night and it's getting late in the day." He looked at Danny. "Let's take Mr. Makenna to HPD. I'm sure they'll have a comfortable holding cell where he can wait for his lawyer. I've got one more thing to do before I head home."

End chapter.

 **I hope you enjoyed this. I believe that there is one more to go and this is done. Thank you for reading.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Runaway Witness XXVII**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii 5-0. I've enjoyed playing with the characters of the show.**

 **Here is the final chapter. I appreciate all the support I've received while writing this story.**

Chapter 27

Steve had Danny drop him off at his home so he could press the Marquis into action given that his truck was still being repaired. Danny had offered to drive Steve to the Governor's office but McGarrett had declined, not sure how his meeting with Denning would go. He had been the one to decide to go ahead with the arrest of the Governor's opponent mostly on a hunch and he wanted to spare his team from any fallout if Denning was angry. It had helped that they had found proof that linked Carson Makenna to the twisted plot his supporters had cooked up.

Arriving at Denning's office, he learned the news of the arrest had proceeded him and he was escorted to the head of Hawaii's private office immediately. Denning motioned for Steve to take a seat while the door was closed and he paced behind his desk. Sitting down gratefully in the chair, McGarrett looked expectantly at his boss.

"I was informed you arrested Carson Makenna this morning. Please tell me you have some very solid evidence Steve or this will turn ugly in a hurry," Denning said seriously.

"Yes sir, we did arrest him today and he was part of a pretty ugly plan to influence the election. The robberies you originally assigned us to investigate led us to a group planning to bomb several public areas in an effort to discredit 5-0's ability to protect Hawaii and turn voters towards Carson Makenna. During that investigation we also caught a murder near Waikiki with a witness who was injured but had overheard parts of a plan to set off some bombs and affect voting. Last night we caught the major players in this plan when they tried to set off two pipe bombs at a safe house they believed 5-0 was housing that witness. Our interrogations of the two leaders left alive gave us confessions to the whole story, they are big financial backers of Makenna," Steve said trying to condense the story. "We had recovered phones stolen from the electronics store and techs said one number called frequently by Bernard Driver was not among the phones recovered. The bomb parts also came from the stolen materials in those robberies."

"Did anyone you arrested implicate Makenna?"

"No sir, when asked, Driver refused to answer. I played a hunch sir and given the threat of terrorism a judge issued a warrant. We had no way of knowing if there were more pipe bombs at a second location. Time was of the essence."

"I really wish you had had more solid information before you went to arrest him but it seems you found what you needed once you got there," Denning sighed as he sat down. "There is going to be backlash no matter what, it won't look good that my task force arrested my political opponent," he pointed out.

"I realize that sir but we had to move fast or Makenna would have destroyed evidence. When we got to his office we found a draft of a speech he was going to give on Tuesday that mentioned victims of recent bombings. Bombings that hadn't occurred yet. At the very least he was aware of what this group was planning and didn't report it," Steve explained. "He was ready to use terrorism to swing an election in his favor."

"I see. That should be enough to convict Carson although that was not how I wanted to win this election. Make sure this charge sticks Steve. And thank you for all your hard work on this matter. I'm sorry you were injured more than once on this case. How are you?"

"I'm fine sir," Steve answered as his hand unconsciously touched his bandaged forearm. "It's all part of the job."

"It seems to be an unfortunate part of the job Steve. Go get some rest, you look exhausted," Denning said rising and holding out his hand. Steve rose and shook it.

"Thank you sir, we'll make sure the charges stick," Steve assured him and left the office.

*H 5-0*

After six hours of much needed sleep, Steve awoke to find the sun setting but he was feeling much better. He longed to take a swim but his injuries prevented that for the time being. He decided to make a few calls while fixing himself something to eat. His first call was to check on Nahele.

The boy assured him he was fine and back with his foster family. Kamekona wanted him back at work the next afternoon and Mahina was very happy at Kono's. He was glad that they had caught the bombers.

The next call was to HPD. He was briefed on anything new that had been discovered on the search of Makenna's office. The phone had been discovered and its call log was being dissected. Satisfied, Steve hung up and took his light meal out to the lanai.

His phone rang just as he was finishing his meal, the caller ID telling him it was Lou Grover. He and Chin had questioned Nelson Brickman with his lawyer present and the boy was willing to cooperate in an effort to secure a lighter sentence. Nelson had contradicted his father's comments that he didn't know what Carson Makenna knew about their bomb plans. The young man had told them that his father had talked to the candidate at a fundraiser about the plan for the pipe bombs to motivate voters. Makenna hadn't been thrilled but did not insist they stop the plans.

"That is great Lou, as I understand it…this information would have come to light without searching Makenna's headquarters so our arrest is gold," Steve said happily. "We would have had a reason to search Makenna's headquarters without my hunch."

"Well, well, you do listen when Ellie explains the law," Lou chuckled.

"Yes I do. And Governor Denning was pleased once I explained everything."

"Good, then I'm not in danger of losing my job which will please my wife," Lou stated. "By the way, I heard from the new head of Child Protection Services and she wants to meet with you, Mahina and Kono tomorrow morning at nine. Her name is Samantha Michaels and she is one tough cookie. If something stinks with that foster family that Mahina was in, she will figure it out and shut it down."

"That is good to know and I'm looking forward to meeting her," Steve answered. "Have those other two kids been questioned?"

"Yea but those two jokers don't know much. They copped to the robberies but otherwise say they only did what the grownups told them," Lou replied.

"Sounds like we go back to Brickman and Driver and confront them with what we learned and see what else they'll say. Knowing we've arrested Makenna may loosen their tongues," Steve stated.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll call Kono and give them a heads up."

"Thanks Lou, see you in the morning."

Steve decided to call Nahele back.

"Hi Steve, has something happened?" the boy asked in concern.

"Nothing is wrong. The new head of CPS wants to meet with Kono, Mahina and me tomorrow morning at nine. I thought you'd like to know, Mahina may appreciate your support," Steve told him.

"Thanks for letting me know, I can be there. I really appreciate you helping Mahina, I was afraid she might run away again but she really likes Kono. She feels safe with her," Nahele told him.

"We are glad to help. No one should have to go through what that girl experienced. We'll make it right," Steve promised.

"That is great. See you tomorrow," Nahele replied and hung up.

Steve went inside and cleaned up after his meal and then debated if he should go down to headquarters and go through the information that had come in. A glance at the clock and a twinge in his shoulder reminded him that he wasn't fully recovered yet and that no one would be in the office at this hour. His team was home getting some well-deserved rest and he should do that too. He sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. After an hour his aching body convinced him that six hours had been nice but he could use more and headed for bed.

*H 5-0*

Danny picked Steve up the next morning and Steve briefed him as they headed to the office. Arriving just before eight, they discovered that Chin and Lou were already at work. Kono and Mahina walked in shortly after Steve and Danny.

"Well there's our brave girl," Lou announced looking up from the computer table. "You are looking a lot better."

Mahina blushed and smiled shyly at Lou.

"I feel a lot better Capt. Grover," she said softly. Her eyes brightened when she saw Steve come out of his office but then clouded in concern at the sight of the wrapping on his arm. "Commander…..are you okay?"

"I'm fine Mahina and you did promise to call me Steve," McGarrett reminded her gently. "We are going to look into the family you were placed with. The new head of CPS is supposed to be a tough but fair woman, just tell her the truth. You're going to be fine, I won't let them put you back there."

"Thank you Steve."

It was a little before nine when Nahele came in, a visitor's tag clipped to his T-shirt. A big smile broke over Mahina's face when she saw him and she hurried over to him, hugging him tightly. The adults exchanged grins as the boy self-consciously hugger her in return.

"I'm so glad you came," Mahina told him.

"I wanted to be sure you would be okay," he replied.

"I'm going to be now that you are here," she told him. "Kono says this woman will make things right."

"Then she will," he assured her, trusting 5-0 to deliver what they promised.

Samantha Michaels walked into 5-0 headquarters precisely at nine A. M. Mahina watched the woman approach them with a confident stride but felt better when the woman's kind eyes focused on her. She stayed close to Nahele as Ms. Michaels headed for Steve first.

"Commander McGarrett, I'm Samantha Michaels of Child Protection Services, you can call me Sam. I understand that this young lady needs my help," she announced holding out her hand to Steve.

He shook her hand with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you Sam. We're hoping you can find a home for Mahina that will make her feel safe. Why don't we go in the conference room and talk things over," Steve replied.

"That sounds very good," Samantha agreed and Steve led the way to the conference room. Sam, Kono and the teens followed him.

It was an hour and a half later that everyone emerged from the room. Kono and Nahele flanked a pale Mahina who was struggling to regain her composure. She had told Sam Michaels everything that happened to her and now she felt drained. She also found that her heart was lighter after sharing the secret she had kept for so long. It had been a bit embarrassing to reveal the details of the sexual abuse she had endured in front of strangers and Nahele but no one had judged her. Their anger was directed at the man and woman who had claimed to be good foster parents to the public. Samantha had promised she would investigate further and Steve had told her that they would be arrested if he had any say in this. Together the adults had promised that she would never go back to that home. Nahele had not said much but had held her hand the entire time, squeezing it on occasion to let her know he was there for her.

"Mahina, I assure you that once I investigate this there will be charges pressed and the Hamiltons will be put in jail. I need you to promise that you will not run away again and you will give the new home I find you a chance. For now you can stay with Officer Kalakaua as we sort things out. I will get you a therapist if you want someone to talk to and we will try to make this as easy on you as possible," Sam told her.

"Thank you Ms. Michaels. I promise I will give any home you find a try or tell you why it doesn't work," Mahina swore. She liked this no nonsense woman who she believed would help her.

"Good…..you are a smart girl. Just remember I'm on your side. I will only put you in a safe place."

"We appreciate your efforts Sam," Steve said honestly. "We are concerned about Mahina, we want her in a safe place."

"She will be Commander, I promise," Ms. Michaels promised. "I've already made sure that the Hamiltons will receive no more children and have removed the young lady that was currently staying with them. We will talk to that girl to make sure she hasn't been harmed. I believe that they will be likely ending up in Halawa from what Mahina has said."

"I like how you operate," Kono told her.

"And I like how you have stepped up for this girl. 5-0 does good work and Commander McGarrett, I'm aware of what you've done for Nahele. I made a point of reading the boy's file and you have made a major difference in this boy's life," Samantha stated as she smiled at the teen.

"Nahele is a great kid," Steve said warmly as the boy's face flushed in embarrassment but his eyes shone bright with pride.

"I'll be in touch," Sam promised and left the office.

"Thank you everyone…I feel so much better now. I am so sorry that I didn't help you right away. Commander…..uh Steve, I am so sorry you got hurt because of me," Mahina apologized. "I never wanted you to be hurt."

"I know that Mahina. And now we know why you were so frightened of going back to that house. I'm fine and we stopped a bomb plot and solved a murder so it all worked out well," Steve told her. "You're ohana now, you can come to any of us if you have any problems."

The girl felt tears welling up in her eyes, tears of happiness. No one had been so kind to her since her mom died. She buried her face against Nahel's chest. He patted her back gently.

The young man could feel the heat climb up the back of his neck again as he murmured to her that things would be okay. Sensing his discomfort Mahina pulled away slightly.

"Thank you Steve," she said sniffing back her happy tears.

"You are very welcome…now if you will excuse Kono and me, we have a case to wrap up. We need to make sure our arrests are airtight. Follow Kono's rules and everything will be fine," McGarrett told her.

"I have to go to work too," Nahele said. "Kamekona wants me for the lunch crowd." He eyed Mahina's backpack. "Why don't you work on your bracelets at the shrimp truck? I will buy you lunch."

"I'd like that," the girl told him with a smile.

"Great, I can pick you up there when I'm done later," Kono told her. She was glad that Mahina would not be alone while she worked.

"Sounds like a plan," Steve agreed.

The teens left the office and Lou grinned at Steve and Kono.

"I'm thinking you two have a budding romance on your hands," he teased.

"Welcome to parenting. You will never get a good night's sleep again," Danny added.

"They are good kids, it will be okay," Steve replied. "Now instead of giving us advice let's see you find enough facts to make sure that Driver, Makenna and Brickman never see the outside of Halawa again. I don't any of these guys walking away. The Governor is already facing some heat for having his political rival arrested by his task force, let's make sure that everyone knows how dirty Makenna was."

They all went to back to work knowing that they had prevented a lot of lives from being lost in a crazy attempt to sway the election. They had also made it possible for a young girl to have a better future.

End story.

 **Thank you for reading. I hope my friend Sam recognizes herself in my CPS head. It is always difficult to finish up another story, the muse and I will miss you.**


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